


You're Mine

by Cranksta



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, But I want it to be good, Continuation of NevasaurusRex's I'm Yours fic, First Fic!, I have no idea what I'm doing, M/M, lots of smut, there will be smut, these two idiots will be the death of me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2018-10-14 01:37:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10526175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cranksta/pseuds/Cranksta
Summary: Gabriel is home once again, but this is only the beginning of the battle. Or more or less, Jack seeks revenge and Gabriel just wants his hubby to stay in bed a little longer. Just how much of Reaper remains in this new life? Will it all go up in smoke or will these two idiots figure it out? I don't know, but I'm having fun writing this.





	1. Snap Back to Reality

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nevasaurus_rex](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nevasaurus_rex/gifts).
  * Inspired by [I'm Yours](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8523562) by [nevasaurus_rex](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nevasaurus_rex/pseuds/nevasaurus_rex). 



Jack woke as the morning sun leaked through the windows. He was achy, sore, and bruised in certain places, but he couldn’t deny the pleasant wave of contentment that swam through his body. He rolled over onto his back and spread out, taking full advantage of the empty bed to coax his body into wakefulness. He stared at the ceiling and took in the smells around him. At the fourth day of his heat, his heightened senses were waning with his urges, but the scent of Gabriel and their frequent pairings suffused the sheets around him. It soothed him in ways he hadn’t experienced in a long while. He closed his eyes and focused on the bond awake,  _ alive _ , inside him. He could feel Gabriel’s heartbeat in his chest, the subtle undercurrent of happiness that the alpha was undoubtedly feeling in that moment. It made him smile. 

He opened his eyes again as the smell of breakfast wafted through the room, Gabriel no doubt returning from the Blackwatch kitchens with whatever he felt like making that morning. He’d always loved Gabe’s cooking and he was glad that it was a habit that had remained even after the brainwashing he’d undergone. When his heat was finally over, he’d have to treat his mate to something special. It’d been a long time since he had anyone special to cook for- the ravenous bunch of youngsters that made up this new Overwatch just liked him for his sweets. He sat up at the edge of the bed as he heard Gabriel setting the plates down on the table in the next room, leaning down to retrieve his sweatpants. 

_ Why bother, mi sol? I’m just going to strip them off you again later. _

Jack chuckled to himself at the memory. Gabriel had been successful in keeping him undressed for the most of his heat, but as the desperate need waned he found himself with enough presence of mind to feel  _ some _ shame at walking around nude. He stood and stretched, letting his achy body pop and realign. 

He was leaning over, touching his toes to stretch his legs when he heard a low chuckle from the doorway. He glanced over from his position to see Gabriel openly staring, arms crossed and propped against the doorframe with a smoky look of appraisal on his face. Jack huffed and slowly righted himself again, giving one last roll of his chest before approaching his smirking mate. “At least let me have breakfast first.” he jabbed at his alpha, playfully ribbing Gabe with his elbow as he walked past him and into the small living space. 

Gabriel chuckled and followed closely behind him.  _ “I’m holding you to that, Jack.”  _

Jack rolled his eyes. Apparently three days of near non-stop sex wasn’t enough to tame the alpha’s desire. He was hardly surprised though as he was certain that the alpha was enjoying his first rut in a long while, likely triggered in the same manner that his own heat was. Close proximity to a willing mate and the reconnection of their bond had ramped them both up to almost teenage levels of need. Jack found that he didn’t mind it, even if his body was currently reminding him why he should as he made his way to the small dining table. 

Gabriel had really outdone himself with this one. Plates piled high with enough breakfast to fill a jaguar littered the table. He was still impressed that the alpha managed to sneak out every morning (even if it scared him shitless the first day) unnoticed in order to bring back groceries for himself and his mate. Jack smiled to himself- the alpha nurturing instinct was one hell of an impulse. One he enjoyed greatly if he let himself be honest. It was nice to be doted on, even if he was a one-man war machine capable of taking care of his own damn self. 

He was roused from his musings as Gabriel nuzzled up behind him, wrapping his arms gently around the omega’s waist. Jack leaned back into the touch as the alpha quietly took in his mates scent. Gabriel leaned forward to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth before untangling himself and urging Jack to sit and eat. 

They enjoyed breakfast together in silence, neither knowing exactly what to say while also finding that there wasn’t anything that needed to be said. Jack wondered- not for the first time -just how aware Gabriel really was in all of this. Was he just following his instincts to please his mate that he hardly remembered? Or was there more going on underneath these actions? He couldn’t shake the feeling that Gabe knew more that he let on, but the distant expression in the alpha’s eyes confused him. It was like he was present and acting of his own will, but at the same time thousands of miles away in whatever fog Talon left him filled with. 

He really needed to get Angela to examine him, but he was afraid of outing his mate like that just yet. Although he was sure Zeigler would keep his confidentiality, he didn’t want to get into that shitshow so soon after reconnecting. He wanted to gain back Gabriel’s trust again first, though as he glanced up at the alpha clearing away the plates, he wondered if perhaps it was actually himself that needed to feel secure. The ex(?) mercenary seemed to be happy to just be around him, as if all he needed was Jack and only Jack.

It made him uncomfortable. Gabriel was more independent than that. Gabriel was an uncontrollable force of nature, not some meek housewife that existed to satisfy. It drilled into his head once again just how fucked up this whole situation was. His heart buzzed with anger and a thirst for vengeance that burned with the intensity of molten metal. He wanted to see the people that did this to his mate die in the most creative ways he could think of. He wanted Gabriel back-  _ all of him _ . His intensity, his stubbornness, his passion. He missed the look in his eye that screamed  _ If I go down, I’m taking all you fuckers with me _ that he’d seen in battle and political meetings alike. 

This Gabriel didn’t have that. There was hints of it here and there, but it was often gone as quickly as it arrived- once again buried under the ashes of what used to be. 

He wondered if his mate noticed the changes he himself had experienced. Jack was no longer someone who believed in the good of mankind, too jaded with the world to be anything more than the bitter man he was. He hated the corruption in the world. He hated the pain and the suffering. The greed. He hated himself for being so fucking blind with hope that he let his chance to do something about it slip by, leaving him to pick up the bloody pieces of everything that once was. Including Gabriel. 

He was startled out of his thoughts once again by his mate, a shaky grip resting on his shoulder. He jerked up to see Gabriel’s brown eyes open with confusion and fear.  _ Shit _ . He’d forgotten that the alpha could sense his emotions and with how intense they’d been, Gabriel must have gotten a front row seat to the clusterfuck in his soul. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and tried to push away the anger. 

_ “Jack...what’s wrong?”  _ Gabe asked hesitantly. 

_ Everything.  _

“Nothing, I just have a lot weighing on me. It’s not you.” he supplied carefully. He wanted to assure his mate without getting into detail. He wasn’t sure if this Gabriel would fully understand why he was feeling the way he was. He was used to carrying it on his own anyway. 

If the alpha noticed the vague answer, he didn’t show it. His shoulders dropped noticeably with relief and moved to straddle Jack in his chair, pressing their foreheads together. The omega hummed appreciatively as he smoothed his hands up his mates legs, resting them on his outer thighs. He closed his eyes and focused on the alpha’s scent as he traced patterns into Gabriel’s clothed hips. The mercenary squirmed under his touch, breath blowing hot on his face. The weight of his bondmate anchored him back to himself, thrilling him at the same time. 

Perhaps his old Gabriel was gone, but this Gabriel was still enough for him. 

_ Sentimental old fool.  _

“As much as I’d like to continue this progression of events, I need a shower. I feel gross and sore.” He leaned back from him, breaking the spell. 

Gabriel chuckled darkly, undeterred.  _ “Want some help, mi luna?”  _

**Jack smiled. Maybe his Gabriel wasn’t as far away as he thought he was. **


	2. Rhyme and reason

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God the angst.  
> I'm so sorry.  
> Yet I'm not.

Jack had lost track of how long he’d been staring a hole into the ceiling. 

They had barely made it out of the shower before Gabriel herded him to the bed and fucked him into the mattress. The alpha was now dozing peacefully on his side of the bed, wisps of charred mist escaping his mouth with each breath. 

Gabriel was here. Against all odds he was here. 

But how long would he be?

As their cycles ended, Jack was stuck with the responsibility of deciding what came  _ next _ . He couldn’t hide here in the abandoned corner of the base forever. Angela checked in with him every day and he’d managed to hide behind vague messages and poor excuses, but she’d eventually demand to see him. He couldn’t hide this from her, but he had a day or two more to decide just how to tell her. And what of the rest of the crew? He couldn’t leave Gabriel here alone while away on missions- not when the man barely even remembered himself. Although the alpha hadn’t shown any overt signs of aggression, he couldn’t be sure that he’d stay docile without his mate to keep his attention. How would Gabe react to meeting the new Overwatch? Would he remember any of them, or would they all just be former opponents on a battlefield?

This brought forth a train of thought Jack had been suppressing since the first night Gabriel came to him. This whole situation reminded him far too much about Amelie. Here Gabriel was, suddenly returning to him after apparently having lain waste to an entire Talon compound for the sake of a mate that he had only begun to recognize a few weeks prior. Talon hadn’t come to find him or retrieve him despite being an obviously valuable asset. He’d just been left behind, and Jack had accepted him with open arms. He’d let the man- who could single handedly destroy him and what remained of Overwatch in under an hour if he wanted to- into his bed. It had all been far too easy and that unsettled the former commander greatly. 

The word ‘ _ sleeper’ _ slunk around in his head like a viper. 

Was Gabriel really free at all or was the all another plan to get inside their operations? Would his weakness for the man lead to the murder of everyone on base? 

Would he wake up one night to those taloned fingers slicing him open?

The image of Gabriel hovered above him watching his life drain away made his stomach turn. He shivered and broke out into a cold sweat as the gravity of the situation he was in hit him like a freight train. He had to get up, go somewhere else that didn’t reek of the man sleeping next to him. The  _ enemy  _ sleeping next to him. 

Jack slid out of the room after hastily throwing on his workout gear. He needed to do something,  _ hit something _ . He found the Blackwatch gym dusty, but otherwise in good shape. He tried to shove away the fear and guilt clutching at him as he wrapped his hands, put some music on, and lost himself in the steady  _ whap whap whap _ of his fists hitting the bag hanging from the corner of the room. He was sore, tired, and angry which just fueled the intensity of the thoughts wrapping around him. 

_ Traitor. You let him in.  _

He hit the bag with increasing fury. 

_ The wolf is in the sheep pen right where they want him.  _

He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, the sweat dripping down his brow. 

_ Weak. You omega’s are all the same. Powerless. Easy to manipulate.  _

Jack spun in place, letting a crushing kick out against the padded material before falling to his knees. He shuddered as the tears finally broke free. The wave of emotions he’d bottled up for years finally crashing down on him with the added weight of knowing what he’d done. His blindness to the enemy had been what brought down Overwatch the first time, and it was happening again. He let Gabriel in with almost no hesitation. And god it had felt so  _ right _ . So easy. Like nothing had ever come between them in the first place. All the fighting, the anger, the conflict, it all disappeared the moment that Gabriel came home to him. This was a chess game and both he and Gabriel were pawns. How else could this end but in more pain and death? 

_ Calm down Morrison. You don’t know anything yet. _

Jack took in a rasping breath as he reached up to remove the headphones from his ears, wiping the sweat and tears from his face as he opened his eyes. 

He froze. 

Gabriel was standing in the doorway, his form shivering and wavering as he regarded Jack with the most devastating look he’d ever seen. His shoulders were shaking as he reached out, only to retract quickly again. His face shifted, his emotions an open book on his face. Fear. Confusion. Despair. He turned his face away and held his arms stiffly down by his sides as the omega stared. 

Jack reached out to their bond to find a storm of conflict raging inside his mate as mist billowed off his silhouette. Pulling himself together, Jack climbed back to his feet and slowly approached the distressed man in front of him. The alpha hesitantly turned his face back into view. 

Gabriel fixed his eyes on Jack’s face and as blue eyes met brown, Jack could feel the fear melt away in himself. This was  _ Gabriel _ , his mate. And after everything he was finally  _ home _ where he belonged. He wasn’t weak for bringing his mate back to his place by his side. A fool perhaps, but not weak. And until he had reason to believe otherwise, he had to trust that the man in front of him wouldn’t take advantage of that.  _ Gabriel was home and that was all that mattered. _

Jack reached out to cup his alpha’s face in his hands. He flinched, but settled quickly, reaching up to hold Jack’s hands in his own. 

_ “J-Jack...what can I do?” _ Gabriel pleaded with a voice far too small for someone so powerful. It made Jack’s heart constrict.

“We’re going to help you, Gabe. Just promise me that you’ll still be here when it’s all over.” Jack answered softly.

Gabriel startled, but relaxed into the reassuring touch on his cheek. Jack watched as the mist surrounding him slowly receded, the alpha leaning forward to gently brush his lips against his mate’s. Jack accepted greedily, pulling the man closer to him before Gabriel leaned away slightly. 

_ “Of course, mi cielo. I’m not going anywhere.” _

Jack sighed. Of course Gabriel would stay. He could feel the devotion flooding his heart, Gabriel wouldn't choose to be anywhere else but right here with him. But again, what else did he have to go back to? In a sense, the alpha was trapped here with him. He'd burned his bridges and though Talon would no doubt attempt to reform him the moment they could, he knew Gabriel didn't want that. All the same, the alpha was choosing to be here with him and was trusting his mate to take care of him. Jack found that he couldn't bring himself to betray that trust.

Perhaps Gabriel was just as frightened as he was. He may not remember what was, but he could remember everything that happened since then. The blood, the fighting, the relentless pursuit of what had once been his family. He knew the alpha could remember it all. Being here in a base full of people who wouldn’t hesitate to put a gun to your head must be terrifying. Jack softened at the thought of that and reached for his mate again, bringing him close. 

“I won’t let anything happen to you Gabe. Not this time.”

Gabriel stared into his lover’s eyes before pressing up against him, kissing him forcefully. Jack melted as the alpha wrapped his arms around his waist and deepened the kiss. The tide of emotions pulled away, leaving behind nothing but the grounding presence between them. The two kissed passionately as warmth coursed through them. Gabriel nipped at his lip and Jack moaned. 

Suddenly, the alpha reached up to pull Jack’s head back, exposing his neck. The omega stiffened as he felt lips and teeth press against the old bonding scar he’d been given when they first mated. Gabriel purred, the sound traveling through this chest into Jack’s own. 

_ “It’s so dull, mi luna. Let me mark you again. Let me claim you. Make you mine again. Por favor, por favor.”  _ Gabriel moaned the words into his ear, kissing desperately at the mark, keeping firm grip in his hair.

The omega jerked as a surge of need shot up his back. God he wanted. He  _ needed _ . He held his mate closer as the alpha ground against his hips, teasing him. He fought to keep control as the last dregs of his heat valiantly rose in response to the alpha’s possessive display. Common sense slowly overcame his basic instincts and he gently pushed Gabriel away from him. 

The alpha looked up in surprise, searching his mate’s face for answers.

“Gabriel, you don’t even remember the first time we did that. You barely remember me. I can’t let you do that.” Jack spoke honestly, pushing a hand against his mate’s chest. It pained him to turn down such a desperate request, but someone had to be the responsible one. He couldn’t even be sure that Gabriel actually wanted this, instead just acting on impulse and instinct. Would a fully aware Reyes make the same offer? He wasn’t sure. Not after everything that happened. 

_ “I remember the way you begged, Jack. I want you to do it again. I want you to plead for me.” _ Gabriel said with such intensity it made Jack’s breath catch. Did he really want this? Did he himself want this?

The image of a burning room flashed before his eyes and he pushed Gabriel back further. He started breathing heavily, the smell of smoke and burning flesh rising in his memory. Gabriel was sprawled out on the floor under a shattered concrete beam, staring at him with glossy eyes. 

“You don’t remember enough, Gabriel. You don’t remember what happened!” Jack shouted, breaking free of the alpha’s hold. 

Gabriel’s intense gaze turned angry as he stepped back into Jack’s space, wrapping his fist into the omega’s shirt and pulling him close, shoving his face back into the crook of his neck. 

_ “I remember you screaming for me, Jack. You called for me over and over again and I couldn’t answer. I remember the pain and then waking up like this.” _ Gabriel’s voice wavered as his grip grew uncertain.

_ “Please Jack. Let me come home. Let me answer you. You’re still calling for me. Please mi cielo…” _

Jack trembled under the weight of Gabriel’s words, under the sea of emotions flooding from his soul. The alpha was shaking, the hand not fisted in his collar wrapping around his back pulling him tight. He wanted to let it happen, he wanted it so badly, but he couldn’t. Not with so much uncertain. 

Jack gently carded his hand through Gabe’s dark curls, pulling him back and away. The alpha went without protest this time, letting his arms drop.  

“I will, Gabe. Just not tonight. Please…” Jack pleaded softly, offering a chaste kiss to the alpha’s lips to calm him. 

Gabriel seemed to acquiesce, letting out a deep sigh before stepping away from his mate. A period of silence passed as each of them sought control of themselves. 

Jack was the first to turn away, catching sight of his gym bag before a smirk broke out on his lips. 

 

“Hey Gabe?”

_ “Hm Jack?”  _

“Two out of three, loser makes dinner?” Jack playfully tossed the alpha his roll of boxing wraps, who caught them easily as a cheshire grin spread across his face. Jack rolled into position, bouncing on his heels taunting the competitive man. 

**_“It’s on, cabron.”_ **


	3. Salvation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter is long and self-reflective. Still fun to write though.

Jack was, by nature, a calm and decisive man. He could- and had -made the tough calls over and over again. He could weigh the outcomes of his choices and decide the best course of action with confidence. It’s what had made him a leader, it’s what had made him the Strike Commander.

But even _he_ had had help. He’d had Ana and Gabriel and everyone else within his circle that he could get outside perspective from. Power festered in a vacuum and he’d made sure to listen to those around him so that he stayed in touch with what really mattered. They were his advisors, his confidantes, and to a certain extent- his moral compass. Jack knew he wouldn’t have made the strides he did if he hadn’t had such a blanket of support surrounding him when he felt crushed under the weight of his responsibilities. They kept him from unraveling and he did his best to keep them safe.

He had failed extraordinarily.

First it had been Gerard and Amilie. Gerard had been a good partner- someone to make sure he kept his i’s dotted and his t’s crossed. A political and business companion that made sure he always acted within the law- or at least didn’t bend it too much. A logical and hardheaded man that knew how to pull the right strings. He put himself in danger to combat the growing problem that was Talon, and he’d gotten eviscerated because of it. His wife was kidnapped and he abandoned his mission to search for her. When they did find her, she was but a shell of her previous self.

A few weeks later they’d found Gerard dead and Amelie gone.

It had been the start of a snowball of events that would take down Overwatch from within. Gerard had been working with Gabriel, concerned that Talon was making it’s way into the U.N. and Overwatch itself. Gerard was focused on the politicians and who was buying them, Gabriel on those inside. To lose Gerard was to lose the edge they had against corruption.

Jack was not stupid, he knew the power hungry nature of world politics. He himself found the draw pulling at him when he felt weak and unsure. He knew the U.N. was dirty, it was just how things were. He’d learned to work around it and get what he needed out of the system without losing too much in return, but facing the officials alone left him vulnerable. Gabriel was not a political man. When he started bringing his mate into more and more meetings, he could see the way it drained him. Gabriel hated red tape. He was a man who preferred to get things done- preferred to act in the shadow of the law. It was why he was the Blackwatch Commander. He was Jack’s ace up his sleeve, the man that could always be counted on to act when he himself couldn’t. Dealing with “bullshit fucking posturing” all day was just not something the alpha was made for. It strained their relationship and their work suffered, but they managed.

Then they had lost Ana.

They didn’t even have a fucking body they could bring home to her grief stricken daughter. Just a broken gun and a bloody beret.

It was Talon of course. Even worse, it was Amelie- now called Widowmaker. She was the card Talon placed on the board to announce their presence. Killing Ana was how they displayed their power. A lead Strike Team member was dead and it left a jagged tear in the foundation of everything they had built- a tear that quickly grew infected.

Jack remembered the day he came home after her death. He hadn’t even showered, instead walking off the dropship in a daze and heading mindlessly to his quarters. Gabriel found him sitting in the dark, still armoured and covered in dust and sweat, Ana’s bloody cap laying in his lap. Jack looked up to see his mate’s tearstained face, feeling so hollow and broken. They sat silently holding each other, the closest they’d been in weeks. Ana was their guiding light, the one that could play the board without anyone knowing she was even there. Talon had taken so much more than a mere Captain that day and they knew it. They’d planned it. They depended on it.

Then came the inquiries. The investigations. The assasinations. Jack knew Gabriel was becoming more withdrawn, but he’d been under too much stress to properly connect with him. Blackwatch was under intense scrutiny after rescuing Genji, the Japanese government not caring much for Overwatch’s interference. The U.N. started grounding their missions, even the simple peacekeeping ones. Jack found himself watching as everything he worked for decades to build crumbled. Gabriel stopped attending meetings with him. Walking into those sessions alone felt like being lead to slaughter. He was exhausted, short tempered, and quick to anger and the politicians used that against him. Every time he was called in, he walked out having lost something else. His people were losing faith in him, and he himself started to wonder if they were right.

Gabriel and he were fighting all the time. With no missions to run, Gabriel had thrown himself head first into tracking Talon. He’d grown paranoid, convinced that there was something major brewing. Jack didn’t doubt him, but without proof he couldn’t do anything about it. He could barely do anything as it was, his hands tied when it came to anything outside of HQ. Gabriel became more and more frustrated with his inaction and slowly stopped reaching out to him. Distraught, Jack started isolating himself to focus on his own pressing issues.

Agents started leaving. Jesse disappeared one day and though he knew he couldn’t get Gabriel to admit it, it had been his doing. Genji had come to him asking to resign. He wanted to travel, find himself and figure out a way to find peace with his past and his current condition. Jack had granted it without question, wishing him well. Then the U.N. forced Reinhardt to retire. That had been a hard day. The Crusader lived to protect and serve and he’d held on for as long as he could, but the U.N. had other plans. Jack ensured his safe travel back home and tried not to crumble as the large man wrapped him up in a crushing hug, leaving a pool of tears on his jacket.

Angela was leaving to assist NATO missions, wanting to make a difference with her evolving biotechnology. Jack was happy to see that at least one of them would continue their mission. Torbjorn was travelling home more often than not. Without Reinhardt to keep him busy, he found less and less patience at sitting around waiting for what came next. Jack had snuck past a family leave for him finally, allowing him to go home until further notice. He was to return when the U.N. finally decided what they were going to do.

Jack already knew what the outcome was going to be. He could see the writing on the walls, the noose waiting for him inside that circular chamber full of cowards and dirty politicians. Overwatch was done. His reign was ending, his family would be scattered and he’d be left to take the fall. He would’ve taken it without complaint except for the fact he knew Gabriel would go with him.

As the Blackwatch leak spread, it was clear that his mate was going to be strung up for war crimes. Jack had been shocked when the data appeared on his desk one afternoon. Torture, bribes, mindless killing, this wasn’t what Gabriel stood for. Black Ops Blackwatch may be, but the alpha despised dirty tactics. He was an honorable man, one that tried his hardest to avoid needless bloodshed and violence- he’d seen enough of it in the Crisis. Gabriel did what he needed to in order to get the job done, but he’d never reveled in causing pain. Not like the Gabriel in the leaked photos did. It sent a chill up Jack’s spine. The man in the photos wore the face of his mate, but he felt like a stranger. The rage and desperation seeped through his bones, and before he knew it he was mindlessly destroying his office with an inhuman howl. What had they become? Were they nothing more than the killing machines they were designed to be? Was there no way out?

They had long stopped sleeping together- Jack having gone through at least two heats alone, or even meeting regularly outside of official business. When Jack confronted the man in his office, he was no longer the mate he knew and loved. This Gabriel was cold, distant, angry. He offered no explanations for his actions, just stood there with clear distaste on his face. It threw Jack off and he eventually stormed out, leaving behind the files detailing the upcoming trials they would both face. The pretty little planks that the U.N. was building for them to walk on. He had hoped he could protect his mate, maybe find some comfort before it all fell apart, but instead he just felt exhausted and alone.

They came together one last time when the attack happened. Jack was begging the alpha to talk to him, to tell him why. The frustration of the past months pouring out in one vicious exchange.

He couldn’t remember who’d thrown the first punch, but it hardly mattered as they both tore into each other with unbridled fury. Gabriel was holding him by the bloody lapels of his duster, screaming at him when they heard the first explosion. There was shrieking and alarms blaring through the hallways. Gabriel’s eyes widened, and he started trembling. He staggered back, looking around as smoke filled the office as if he had just realized where he was.

_“No. No. No. NO!”_ the alpha begged, eyes darting around the room looking for an escape. Jack was terrified, confused. He bolted for the door, finding it wedged shut from the outside. There was heat on the door, signalling a fire on the other side. He looked back at his mate who was frozen in fear.

Jack coughed as the smoke filled his lungs. The room grew hazy, but he made his way over to the quivering man. He reached out to him with trembling arms, the anger long faded away. Gabriel embraced him without hesitation and Jack nearly crumbled under the emotion of it.

If they were going to die, they were going to die together.

He held Gabriel close, hearing his ragged breathing in his ear.

Suddenly the room quaked and he was pitched backwards by a pair of hands. There was an incredible groaning noise as the room shattered around him, dust and smoke filling the air. Jack scrambled to his knees, too dizzy and in pain to stand up. His face burned, his chest burned, and the room spun around him as he tried to search for Gabriel, calling for him desperately.

His hand found another and he sobbed in relief.

Focusing, he followed the length of the arm before crying out at the sight before him.

Gabriel was trapped under a concrete pillar from the waist down. There was blood pooling around him as he struggled to breathe. Jack screamed for him and crawled up to cradle his face in his lap. They made eye contact as Gabriel squeezed his hand with what little strength he had.

And then he stopped breathing.

Jack screamed his mate’s name over and over again as he saw his brown eyes unfocus and glaze over. He felt out through their bond to find an emptiness. Tears and blood poured down his face as he begged and pleaded for the man to whoever was listening.

No one was and he watched as Gabriel died in his arms.

 

Jack escaped and took up the mantle of a vigilante- searching for answers. The public gave him the title of Soldier: 76 after the armoured motorcycle jacket he’d pilfered and his precise methods. He found it fitting though he hardly considered himself a soldier anymore. Soldiers followed orders, worked in units. In this new life, he only answered to himself.

 

Reaching his destination, Jack paused outside of the door to the Gibraltar infirmary.

He had failed to keep his family safe, but now he had a second chance. Ana was alive- _Gabriel was alive._ It was everything he’d ever wanted and so much more.

So why was this so difficult?

Jack took a deep breath and opened the door, immediately greeted cheerfully by Angela at her desk.

Angela’s smile faltered as she took in the pained expression on his face.

Focusing on the comfort of the bond weighing in his chest, he stepped forward.

**_He’s depending on you, Jack. Don’t fuck it up._**     


	4. I should really just number these, my chapter titles are shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit short, my apologies!

“It’s nice to finally see you, Jack. You’ve been quite elusive the past week. I’ve been worried.” Angela said, a small smile gracing her features.

Jack chuckled. “I was busy. Things ran longer than expected.”

Angela nodded, standing up and grabbing her clipboard. “I am not surprised, though I wish you’d been more honest with me. I am your doctor, Jack. It does neither of us well for you to hide information from me- and don’t think I didn’t notice. Just be glad I didn’t walk down to your quarters myself.”

“Now, if you don’t mind I’d like to examine you before placing you back on suppressants. I want to make sure there has been no harm caused by your sudden cycle reappearance.” she stated, pointing to the exam table and collecting some instruments.

“I’m fine, Angie. And I don’t think my… partner would appreciate me going back on suppressants.” Jack spoke quietly, rubbing his neck and glancing down at the floor.

Angela spun on her heels. “Partner? Is that why your heat drew out so far? I really wish you’d consulted me -or Winston- about this before bringing someone onto base. And who is this person, Jack? It’s very unlike you to let someone close- especially during such a vulnerable time.”

He took in a deep breath, sitting on the edge of the exam table, keeping his eyes down. “I wasn’t really thinking straight Angela. It just kinda happened.”

“That’s not answering my question, Jack.”

 _Fuck this isn’t easy._   
  
He took in one more centering breath before meeting her eyes and speaking quietly.

“Reaper.”

“Sorry?”

“Gabriel Reyes is Reaper and he’s been here with me this past week.” Jack sputtered out, casting his eyes back to the ground.

Angela froze before sitting down in her chair, an unsettling calmness flooding her demeanor. Fuck, he’d forgotten just how frightening the doctor could be.

“Angela, I swear I can explain. He didn’t hurt-”

“Enough. You will submit to an immediate examination and any tests that I deem necessary. You will also answer any and all questions I have, then we will be going to Winston and deciding what must be done. For now, I want to make sure that you’re unharmed.” Angeal spoke with an even tone that sent immediate shivers down his spine. That could’ve gone better.

“He’s my mate, Angie. He didn’t hurt me. There’s something wrong with him, but he hasn’t hurt me or anyone else here.” He spoke, trying to soothe the panic rising in his chest.

“ _Gots wunden!_ Of course there’s something wrong with him, he’s been stalking us for years! He’s hurt people, _killed_ people, Jack!” Jack shrunk under the lashing.

“Angela, please. The only reason I’m talking to you about this is because I need your help. I haven’t forgotten what he’s done, but he’s- different. Something changed.”

Angela remained silent.

“I nearly shot him myself. I wouldn’t have let him stay if I thought he was dangerous.”

“Hmmm. I suppose, though I am concerned as to how he slipped by Athena’s notice.” Angela turned to face the holoscreens on her desk.

“Athena?”

_“Yes, Doctor Zeigler.”_

“Were you aware Reaper is currently on base?”

_“Yes Doctor Zeigler. Commander Reyes is currently in his quarters.”_

“And you just let him in without letting any of us know?”

_“Commander Reyes requested entry to his side of the facility. I granted him access on the condition that he not enter the Overwatch main building and refrain from harming any agents. He has kept his agreement.”_

_Oh this is interesting._ Jack thought, taking notice. He’d not thought to ask Athena if she knew Gabriel was here, instead just being grateful that she seemed to be unaware. Gabriel had spoken to the AI before entering the base? What was going on? He’d assumed that Gabriel had just broken in.

Angela paused for a moment, seemingly just as surprised as Jack was.

“How did you know he wouldn’t have hurt us? Or Jack for that matter?”

_“It is highly unlikely for a mated pair to harm each other. The alpha, Commander Reyes, merely wished to spend time with his mate. He has not exhibited any aggressive behavior while on base.”_

“Thank you, Athena. Please stand by for further instructions.”

_“Of course Doctor Zeigler.”_

Angela was quiet, thoughtful. Jack merely gazed at her, waiting for her to speak.

“Alright, Jack. You said something was wrong with him, what did you mean by that? Why is he here?”

“We met out in the field a couple of nights before my heat hit. He asked me questions- he didn’t even know his own name. He recognized me and asked me for help Angie, and he got close. That’s why my heat started in the first place.” Jack settled back into the table, uncomfortable.

“He showed up when I went to isolate myself in the Blackwatch wing, covered in blood. He said that he’d overheard Talon planning to ambush us in the night through a tracker they’d snuck on me. He ambushed them instead.”

“A Talon compound was destroyed a week ago. We haven’t been able to get any decisive intel on it, though communication recordings suggest that they were attacked suddenly. If it was Reaper, then that would explain why they they’ve been so quiet since then.” Angela said quietly.

“He was terrified, Angela. He was talking about things like pills and injections. He could remember bits and pieces of things, but not much. He knew I was his mate, but he couldn’t remember much else. I think Talon did something to him years back without us noticing and he’s only now coming out of it. I don’t know why, but he’s here and he needs help, Angie. He’s remembering a little more each day, but I don’t know if he’s been permanently injured.” _I don’t know if we can bring him back._   
  
Angela settled back into her seat and gazed thoughtfully at Jack.

“ _Mein got._ ”

“Please Angela, he’s vulnerable and needs help. If there’s a chance that Gabriel is still in there somewhere, I want to try before we condemn him for crimes he may not be responsible for.” _I want my mate back._

She sat quietly for a moment before sighing.   
  
“Okay, Jack. I will keep this between us, but I will want to examine him as soon as possible so we can get a better idea as to his condition.”

Relieved, Jack sprung to his feet, pulling the blonde woman into a hug. “Thank you, Angie.”

They stayed like that a moment before Angela gently pushed him away. “I still need to examine you Jack. Get back on the table.” she said with a scolding smirk.

“Damn, I thought I got out of that one.” Jack mumbled with a chuckle.

**“You were always a difficult patient, Jack.”**


	5. Cinco

Jack stalked down the hallway, mumbling to himself. Angela had followed on her promise to put him through _everything_ and he felt like an abused guinea pig. He couldn’t blame her though, he himself had been slightly concerned as to the effects of sleeping with...whatever Gabriel was now. It was still unpleasant, especially when he knew she could see all of the marks that Gabriel had left on him. He had been surprised that there were still so many, though he noticed that there were none overlapping his old bonding mark. The alpha had respected his boundaries and that comforted him.

Angela had interrogated him thoroughly, concerned and slightly curious. Jack had explained that only he and Ana knew of Gabriel’s identity and chose to keep it that way. They couldn’t stand to see the reaction the team would have- figured that keeping his secret was a way of honoring the man he used to be. Better to have let everyone believed he’d died a hero than become the monster they routinely faced on the battlefield. Jack had carried that burden for months before Gabriel had approached him privately on the roof. Up until then they’d hardly shared more than a few venom-filled words with each other.

She had inquired more into Gabriel’s condition but Jack had only so much information to give. He’d be smuggling the alpha into her clinic later in the night, Athena having agreed to hide their activities for now. She wanted to run a full blood panel on him as well as put him through an MRI to see if his brain had been damaged from Talon’s treatments. Angela was excited to see him, if a bit reserved. In addition to the opportunity to study the wraith, she was a bit giddy at meeting her old friend again. She was wary and conflicted, but she had admitted that it was nice to see that Gabriel had survived and returned to them.

“A lot of people certainly seem to keep coming back from the dead, hm Jack?” she had commented, poking at his arm for emphasis. He huffed, knowing that she’d never let him live his own ‘resurrection’ down.

“What can I say Angela? You just have that effect on people.” he shot back at her, getting a genuine laugh out of the woman. He smiled in return.

\------------

_So what now, hotshot?_

He’d requested to officially move to the Blackwatch wing of the base and though Winston gave him a confused look, he allowed it. He explained he liked the quiet (which was true), and now he was carrying two duffels worth of personal belongings through the halls. Gabriel would be waiting for him as usual. What would he say to the man? He also had to tell him about their plans to sneak him into the clinic. He hoped that the alpha would simply come willingly- it was Jack’s thing to be the difficult one. He was sure Angela would wreak havoc if Gabriel took to his bad behavior.

Then there was the conversation with Athena that he needed to mull over. He wondered if she’d recorded her interaction with Gabriel and set that thought aside to return to later. For now, he needed to finish hauling these godforsaken duffles to his new quarters. He was actually pretty happy about the arrangement as Gabriel’s old room was larger than the one he'd been using. He’d refused to take the Strike Commander’s quarters and had been put into a standard room. It was hard to be a one-man-army when you didn’t have enough room to lay out all your equipment. Plus the new bed was better- and not only because it commonly featured Gabriel. He was getting older and things like back support mattered now- sue him.

Finally reaching the new quarters, he let himself in and dropped the bags in the living area before moving to the back where the bedroom was. He was anxious to check on his mate after leaving him alone for the first part of the day. _God what am I going to do when I get called away? I can hardly leave him alone as it is._

“Gabe?” he called out as he walked through the doorway to find the room empty. Jack took a moment to calm the reactive worry in his chest before heading back out of the room. There were a few places he could be and he was sure that if Gabriel had gotten into trouble, he’d know about it. He set back out to search for the elusive alpha.

He found him in the training room easily enough. He wasn’t surprised, it wasn’t in either of their natures to relax for very long. The tension of being enhanced meant they got stir-crazy easily and Jack was willing to bet that Gabriel was experiencing cabin fever. He himself was getting anxious at being in one area for so long- his heat being one of the only things that could keep him sedentary. He was used to being out in the field or at least staying in touch and guiding those who were. He’d been completely isolated for the past week and it seemed that he wasn’t the only one experiencing the effects. He idly wondered what kind of routine the mercenary kept while Reaper.

Either way, the sight of Gabriel focusing on his workout made him want to join in. It’d been ages since they actually trained together. It’d been ages since they could just _be_. Not for the first time he yearned for the days when they had just been simple soldiers- when things had been much less stressful. He supposed that in a way he got his wish- they weren’t commanders anymore. Well that wasn’t completely true, Jack found himself in charge of missions more often than not. Everyone still naturally followed his lead even if he was supposed to just be another agent in the field.

 _“You’re thinking too much again, Jack.”_ Gabriel spoke quietly into the room from his position on the weight machine, jolting Jack out of his thoughts.

“Used to only having myself for company. Still get spacey.” Jack apologized, a tad embarrassed.

Gabriel chuckled lightly before locking the weights into place and moving to stand up and approach his mate.

The sight of Gabriel in PT shorts and a tank- sweaty and flushed- made Jack freeze. The shorts were a pair of his own and clung obscenely to the alpha’s hips. Hips that he was sure were actually _swaying._

It really wasn’t fair. Jack had always been well defined and fit, but he was built more for track and field. He was lean- made for performance and endurance, but Gabriel… Gabriel was and always had been built like a brick shithouse. Gabriel was raw power and seemed to take great pride in being the physical embodiment of a wet dream. That wasn’t it either. Whereas Jack had only roughened up in mid-age, Gabriel had aged like a barrel of whiskey. A whiskey that Jack very much liked the taste of.

Gabriel seemed to feel the admiration flowing through Jack and smiled knowingly at him as he sidled right up to the omega. Jack could clearly see the scars on his face and shoulders, the grey in his hair and beard. It made him _want._

 _“See something you like, Jack?”_ Gabriel spoke darkly, leaning into Jack’s space.

_Fuck. Get ahold of yourself Jack. This isn’t right. He doesn’t know what he’s doing._

He was hesitant to accept the man’s advances now that their respective cycles were in remission. It felt like taking advantage of a sick man.

He gently pushed the man back with a huff. “You stink, Gabe. You need a shower.” Which wasn’t entirely untrue. Neither of them smelled good after a workout- though under normal circumstances that wouldn’t have deterred him. These weren’t normal circumstances though.

Gabriel looked up at him with surprise, though the grin was back quickly. _“Care to join me?”_

God this man wasn’t making this easy. “Not this time. I have some things I need to do, but I’ll see you back in our quarters when I’m done?” He needed to make sure that Gabriel would stay put and wait for him so they could talk.

Luckily, Gabriel seemed to accept these terms and purred lightly. _“Of course, mi cielo.”_

He quickly wrapped up his gym bag and slung it over his shoulders, leaning up to press a needy kiss to his mate’s lips before walking out.

Jack took a minute to collect himself before leaving the room. He needed to get out of the gym before the scent of Gabriel drove him to climbing into that shower after all.

 

He hadn’t been lying- he did have something he wanted to do. He swiftly made his way further into the Blackwatch center of command. Finding what he was looking for, he stepped into the Situation Room and triggered the lights.

“Athena.”

_“Yes, Commander Morrison?”_

Jack smiled lightly to himself. Athena was one of the few he let refer to him by his old title. It reminded him of better times. He had also noticed when she had given Gabriel the same courtesy.

“Did you record your first contact with Commander Reyes when he came onto base a week ago?”

_“Yes, Commander. Would you like to see that footage?”_

“Yes, Athena. Please pull it up for me.”

_“As you wish, Commander.”_

The lights dimmed and a holoscreen opened up at the head of the room. Jack focused as the recording started, hoping to finally get some answers.

 

Athena appeared to be recording from one of her security drones gauging by the position and movement of the camera. Gabriel was pictured dead center, frantically trying to break out of an enclosure made of bright, blue hardlight as projected by surrounding drones- an invention of Vaswani’s. Apparently the wraith had attempted to teleport onto the far side of the facility and had gotten captured for his trouble. He watched as the man attempted to mist out of the cell without success. It was airtight and there wasn’t enough room for him to maneuver properly. He was panicking, though finally froze at the sight of the new drone.

“State your business here, Reaper.” Athena spoke with a harsh tone.

 _“He’s here. I can feel it. I can feel him. He needs me. Where is he?”_ Gabriel pleaded desperately.

“Who are you looking for, Reaper?”

 _“My mate. He’s here. I need to protect him. I need to find him. He’s nesting, but I don’t know where he is.”_ The wraith was fracturing inside the cell, his pained face flickering in and out. His gauntlets were leaving streaks of blood on the walls as he shifted.

“Are you referring to Soldier: 76?”

Jack had to appreciate Athena’s dedication to keeping his identity safe.

The alpha whined and nodded. _“Please. Let me go to him. He’s calling for me.”_

“Do you intend to harm him or any of my other agents?”, the AI spoke with an almost maternal protectiveness. She hadn’t forgotten Reaper’s previous raid.

 _“No. NO! I just want him. I’ll stay away from the others. Hidden. No harm will come to any of them, you have my word.”_ His palms were on the wall as he gazed earnestly at the drone.

Athena was silent.

“You’ve killed recently, Reaper.”

_“They were coming for him. I couldn’t allow that.”_

“You chose to protect Soldier: 76 against Talon?” Athena spoke hesitantly.

 _“...Yes.”_ Gabriel whispered with a heavy tone.

“You are Commander Gabriel Reyes then? I see your face- you cannot lie.”

A pause and a pleading stare from the trapped alpha. He nodded once, casting his eyes away.

“If you have defected from Talon then I see no reason to deny you access to the Blackwatch wing where Commander Morrison is currently residing.” Athena spoke, having made her decision.

Gabriel jerked his face back to the drone, surprised.

“Be warned. I will be tracking you. Should you enter the Overwatch main facility, send information back to Talon, or harm any of my agents- Commander Morrison included -I will immediately reveal you to everyone on base. For now, I see no reason to put you in that position so long as you keep our agreement.”

_“You have my word.”_

Athena laughed. “I’m choosing to take you at your word as Commander Reyes, not as the terrorist that attempted to hack me and hunt down all of my agents.” The alpha flinched.

“Commander Morrison is located on the west side of the facility. I trust you’ll be able to find him from there. He always leaves his window open despite my requests- he says it helps him sleep better.”

The hardlight enclosure dissolved and Gabriel stood there, taking a deep breath and nodding. The drones moved away from him and returned to their security routes.

 _“Thank you, Athena.”_ Gabriel finally spoke as the camera made to move away.

“Of course, Commander Reyes. It’s good to have you back.”

The camera barely caught the edge of a rapidly moving cloud of mist as it turned away.

 

The lights raised again as the feed cut and the holoscreen closed down, leaving Jack to process what he’d seen. He sat down at the console, dropping his head into his palms.

He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but it wasn’t that. Granted, it didn’t really give him any more information on Gabriel’s condition than he already had, but it comforted him. He’d have to discuss it with Angela later. It was consistent with what Gabriel had told him- but that just meant they were back to square one.

“Thank you, Athena. You handled that well.” Jack spoke finally.

 _“You’re welcome, Commander.”_ A period of silence followed before the AI spoke again.

_“Is there anything more I can do for you, Commander?”_

Jack sighed, rubbing his chin with his palm. “No, Athena. That will be all for now.”

_“Very well, Commander.”_

The lights dimmed once again, leaving the omega alone with his thoughts.

\----------

When Jack returned to his shared quarters, Gabriel was still in the shower- no doubt pampering himself. He chuckled to himself as he heard the alpha humming softly. He could remember when Gabriel would sing in the shower back in SEP- it meant he was in a good mood. He also remembered the few times he ended up shouting at his roommate for engaging in a one-man-opera at 5-fucking-a.m. on their day off. It made him realize that he hadn’t heard Gabriel sing in ages. Even now Gabriel wasn’t singing so much as growling melodically. He felt his heart jolt as the sounds of Gabriel’s humming grew rougher and more out of tune before stopping completely.

**Sometimes he forgot that he wasn’t the only one left with scars.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit longer than usual, but I was having trouble figuring out where to stop. 
> 
> And just between you and me, I might be writing something sexy in the next chapter. Which may or may not be later today because I'm already writing it, but didn't want to make this chapter too long. ;) 
> 
> ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?


	6. Seis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait guys! I had a brutal bought of infections plague me for the past few weeks and was only able to start writing again a few days ago. Hopefully this long chapter makes up for it!

Waiting for Gabriel to get out of the shower, Jack decided to slip on some sweatpants and catch up on some paperwork in bed. He had a desk of course… but given the stack of papers he found left in his old room he figured getting comfortable was better in the long run. Grabbing his glasses from the nightstand, he fluffed up the pillows behind his back and settled into his work. Winston still had very little idea how to keep a facility like theirs stocked and running with the amount of people currently residing in it and Jack had volunteered to help out. His  _ vacation _ had meant that the poor scientist had been left to fend for himself. By the looks of things, he’d done rather well, but there were some major gaps in supplies and maintenance that only he knew how to smooth over. Their band of misfits made decent money from paid escort missions and their individual ventures, but running an illegal operation meant pulling strings in order to get what they needed. 

Which currently seemed to be a new wall in the training room. Jack grumbled as he read the report outlining how the scrawny junker kid managed to blow a hole clean through the southside retaining wall. Three-foot thick reinforced concrete. Apparently he’d been attempting to build a “Firework better than you’ve ever seen, mate.” for the sake of impressing a certain chinese scientist. Needless to say, she wasn’t too thrilled about it. Ling-Zhou was no doubt giving him the cold shoulder- or well colder than usual. How he’d managed to not hear the incident was beyond him, but he supposed he had been rather…  _ preoccupied. _

Jack was slouching back into the pillows considerably by the time Gabriel finally emerged from the bathroom, a trail of smoke and steam following him. He had had enough decency to throw on a pair of boxers, but was otherwise bare. Jack could feel the satisfaction flowing off of him and wondered how often the alpha was able to indulge in such pampering in Talon. He knew as well as any that a good shower could be godly.

_ “You’re going to injure yourself if you keep sitting like that, anciano.” _ Gabriel growled at him while rubbing a towel through his undercut. 

Jack scoffed. “You’re older than me, besides I’m comfortable.” he was knee deep in a medical supplies order when he heard Gabriel move around to the foot of the bed. 

Jack stayed quiet as he felt Gabriel crawl onto the mattress and lay down between his legs, snaking his hands under the omega’s thighs to angle them up. The alpha began pressing soft kisses to his clothed thighs as Jack attempted to keep focus on his work. 

A few minutes went by and Jack realized that he had been reading the same paragraph over and over again- Gabriel having successfully distracted him. Sighing, the white-haired man craned his head over the edge of his paperwork to glare down through his lenses at the blurry form between his legs.

“Can I help you?” he snapped, refusing to put down the stack of papers or take off his glasses. He was a stubborn man and determined to not let the alpha have his way. He was the responsible one. He had to be. 

Jack yelped as Gabriel wrapped his arms tightly around his thighs and yanked him further down onto the bed, leaving him to flail and drop the papers over the side.

_ “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”,  _ the alpha cooed, accenting his point with a nip to his thigh. Of course Gabriel would remember an old reference like that. It wasn’t the first time he’d used it on him either, often using it as an excuse to rile Jack up in his office. 

Before things went to shit and he stopped casually visiting him in his office altogether. 

The memory made his heart ache and snap out of his fog of arousal. 

Gabriel was nipping insistently at his legs now, caressing them firmly with his hands.  _ This isn’t right.  _

“G-Gabe wait. I’m not sure we should be…” he said quietly as he tried to scramble back up to lean on the headboard. Gabriel merely growled and kept him in position, his hands squeezing harder. The possessive rumble travelled through his legs and made him seize up tightly, heart racing. 

Jack stared with apprehension as the blurry form of his mate slowly rose up to crawl over him, reaching out to pluck the lenses off of his face and place them gingerly on the nightstand. Jack could see him clearer now- the flushed skin and fierce eyes. There were trails of mist coming off of his back, a sign of agitation. He stiffened as the alpha turned back to face him with a rough sigh. 

_ “Stop making my decisions for me, Jack.” _ he spoke, an edge to his voice.

“How? You don’t remember. If you did, I’m not sure you’d even be here right now.”

_ “Of course I would be, Jack. I’m yours. I always will be.” _

“I’m trying to protect you, Gabe.”

_ “No. You’re trying to protect yourself.” _

Jack flinched. Ouch. 

Gabriel’s demeanor softened as he reached up to smooth his hand over the omega’s cheek, palm catching lightly on his stubble. 

_ “I understand, Jack. Really I do. But please trust me to know what I want.” _

Jack relaxed into the touch and the words of his mate. Could he really just let go and trust Gabriel to want this? To want him? Consequences be damned? 

Jack huffed lightly to himself. Gabriel had never been one to worry about consequences before, why would he now? Rule-bending, command-dismissing, dramatic asshole. He’d just gotten worse with age. 

“You should be careful what you ask for, Gabe. You might get it.” he said finally, bringing his own hand up to cup his mate’s jaw, stroking a thumb over his temple. 

_ “Will you give me you?” _ Gabriel spoke quietly, leaning down to press his lips to his mate’s. Jack sighed into the contact, still too tense to relax fully. The alpha didn’t push, instead just setting a gentle rhythm that kept him grounded. He could feel the care his mate put into every touch, the almost reverent love pouring from his soul. Why was it so hard to just let this happen?

Jack anxiously pulled away from the kiss. He opened his mouth to speak, but Gabriel spoke first.

_ “You’re still so afraid of me, Jack. Why?” _

He drew in a sharp breath. “You were so angry at me for so long, Gabe. How do I know the real you doesn’t still feel that way?”

_ “I remember enough to know that you weren’t the cause of my pain, Jack.” _

Gabriel was still holding him, cradling his head between two warm palms as he pressed his forehead to Jack’s own. 

_ “There were so many things happening and I can’t make sense of it all, but I can still feel what it was like when you were with me. I felt invincible, Jack. I want to feel that again. I want  _ you _ to feel that.” _

_ Invincible. _

He remembered when he felt that way too. Like he could take whatever the world threw at him so long as he could look to his side and see Gabriel there with him. He’d felt that way even before they were anything more than friends, comrades, brothers-in-arms. Back when the world made a little more fucking sense. 

“We’re not invincible, Gabe.” he breathed out. 

_ “We survived a fucking explosion, Jack. We’re not easy men to kill.” _ His deep eyes were boring down on him again as if begging to be let into his soul. 

“I survived. You didn’t.” Jack confessed softly.

_ “I’m here now, Jack. I don’t know what I am, but I’m here and so are you. I think the world will forgive us if we revel in that a little.” _ Gabriel spoke, easing upwards to sit back on his heels, sliding his palms down Jack’s chest. The gentle contact made him close his eyes as the alpha took his time exploring his torso from between his legs. 

Yeah. Maybe a little reveling wasn’t such a bad thing to do. 

He relaxed into his mates touch as he felt his body start to tingle underneath the man’s light massaging. His mind was slow to ease into the scene, but his body reacted for him as he encircled the alphas waist between his legs bringing him closer. Gabriel purred appreciatively and leaned forward to kiss him again. 

Things moved slowly, the rush of their cycles long gone allowing them to take their time just appreciating the feel and solidity of each other. Gabriel had one hand in his hair, the other stroking his side as he lazily moved against his lips. Jack held the man’s hips firmly between his thighs, one hand on his back, the other at the nape of his neck. He lightly traced his tongue across the alpha’s lips and Gabriel opened up instantly, taking him greedily. He tasted fresh from his shower, only the metallic aftertaste of nanites tainting the flavor. Gabriel pushed back suddenly, seeking dominance and slipping his tongue into the omega’s mouth. 

Their grapple grew more fierce as the wraith pressed biting kisses to his lips, tugging at the sensitive flesh before moving down to his jawline. Jack gasped as Gabriel started shallowly rolling his hips against his body. The alpha trailed wet kisses along his throat before biting down on the shoulder opposite to his claiming mark, rutting harder against him making the omega shudder. 

Jack could feel the hard line of Gabriel’s cock sliding against his ass through their thin clothing. It excited him and made him dig his nails into the firm muscles lacing the man’s back, making the latino moan and thrust again.  _ Fuck. _ He’d forgotten what it was like to have sex like this. It was personal- even emotional in a way that heat-sex wasn’t. To want someone without the pressing insistence of hormones and burning instinct was exciting in a whole different way. The sensation flooded his body and he angled his head back, letting Gabriel grind against him at his own pace. 

Like this, without the heavy air of rut and heat, they were just two mates that wanted each other. Nothing more than two men appreciating the touch of one another. It was intoxicating. 

Gabriel pulled back, gazing into Jack’s eyes with heavy eyes as his fingers slipped under the hem of his shirt, dragging the material up. Jack sighed and slipped off the tee, throwing it to the side. Gabriel took advantage of the bared skin immediately, dropping to pepper kisses to his chest. The omega moaned, reaching to thread his fingers through his mates cropped hair. Encouraged by the sound, the alpha moved to tease his tongue against one of the sensitive nipples presented to him, making Jack’s breath hitch in his throat. Gabriel lingered before moving back up to languidly kiss his mate.

Jack felt high on the rush of endorphins and sensations he was experiencing. He felt his mate’s lips tease his own as he thrust more insistently against his ass, building tension. Jack pulled away swiftly, resting his head against the mattress, hearing both of their breaths come in gasps. He needed air. Gabe seemed to be in a similar state as he stilled his movements, instead resting his head on the omega’s shoulder. 

_ “Why do I feel fucked out when we haven’t even fully undressed yet?” _ he distantly heard the alpha mutter against his neck. 

Jack laughed softly, unwrapping his legs to relax. The man was right, he felt as if he’d been underneath the alpha all afternoon instead of just maybe half an hour of foreplay. He settled into the sensation as he gently played with Gabriel’s hair, soothing the man. 

He’d expected the burn of want to ebb away as they cuddled, but when Gabriel shifted to resettle, he whined as a fresh surge of interest coursed through him. The alpha started and turned to glance at the omega as the sound caught him off guard. He could see the wolfish grin spread quickly across the man’s face. 

Propping himself up on his arms to stare down at his mate, Gabriel repositioned his hips against Jack’s, grinding their quickly re-hardening cocks against each other. 

Jack cried out, gripping his partner’s shoulders as he rocked his hips in return. 

“Fuck, Gabe. I need you.  _ Now. _ ”, he growled out to the man above him and was relieved to see him smile before leaning away to grip the waist of Jack’s sweatpants and drag them down. His mouth watered at the sight of Gabriel stripping himself the same way. 

The alpha eagerly crawled back over his mate, and Jack accepted him enthusiastically, re-wrapping his legs around the man’s hips seeking a better angle to grind on. Gabriel attacked his mouth again, greedily moaning into him as their stiff cocks dragged across one-another. 

The alpha shifted lower again to press biting kisses along his collar, drawing a whine from the omega as his hips slotted once more against his ass. Without his heat, he wasn’t producing any slick to make the glide easy, but fuck if that mattered when the alpha was rutting so insistently against him. He could hear Gabriel’s stuttered moans against his chest and silently reprimanded himself for denying him so stubbornly. These moments were something to be treasured, not avoided. They’d spent too much time apart to keep playing these games, amnesia be damned. 

His stomach twitched as Gabriel dragged his hand down slowly to cup his balls, the base of his palm rolling firmly against his cock. The teasing touch felt electrifying, pulling a moan from his throat. Reaching down, Jack returned the favor by digging his his fingers into the man’s firm ass, massaging roughly. Gabriel groaned appreciatively, his movements growing faster. 

He jerked when he felt the alpha’s fingertips brush lightly against his entrance. The alpha’s eyes darted up to his own as he watched the omega bite his lip and tense. 

_ “Do you want me to stop, Jack?” _ he asked softly, his hands stilling immediately. 

Jack whined, turning red in embarrassment before answering. “No. I’m just not...I didn’t expect us to be doing this today. I’m not...ready.”, he explained, hoping that Gabriel would understand without making him say it. 

The alpha chuckled softly, sliding his hand away and moving back up to kiss his mate soundly. Jack relaxed instantly. 

Gabriel pulled away again, that wide grin back on his face. Suddenly, he was shifting to unwrap Jack’s legs from his waist before moving to straddle the omega. 

_ “That’s okay, Jack. Because I am.” _ he spoke heavily, leaning back and grinding his ass  along the other man’s cock. Jack all but cried out at the sensation, hands moving to grip the alpha’s hips tightly. He came back to himself quickly, the thought of this man-  _ his alpha - _ riding him made him buck and press himself against his mate needily.  _ Fuck. _ They hadn’t done that in ages. 

It was true that during their cycles they indulged in more  _ traditional _ roles as their instincts demanded, but outside of that? They took great pleasure in being more… flexible. Just because Jack needed to be fucked for a few days every four months didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate anything else. He was a fully functioning male after-all, the rare endotype he carried did nothing to change that. The SEP had rendered both of them sterile and he didn’t pay much mind to the more  _ extreme _ adaptations his omega-status brought him outside of the burning need his heats forced on him. He’d come to grips with his identity a long time ago and he had always felt extraordinarily lucky that his mate was more than willing to accept him as he was. 

It also meant that they’d had a pretty fulfilling sex life for decades. 

But fuck, it’d been years since they’d indulged. 

Jack groaned as Gabriel ground down on him once more, spreading his thighs and giving him a good view as the alpha reached back to grip his mate’s thighs for support. Jack reluctantly released his grip on the man’s hips, letting his hands wander over his bronzed torso instead. He massaged his mates front lazily, reaching up to roll his dusty nipples under his thumbs, pulling a light moan from the alpha. Gabriel kept his rhythm smoothly, his ass creating delicious pressure on his groin. 

“Do you really want me like this, Gabe?”, he asked quietly, wanting to hear it from the man himself before continuing. 

_ “I want you, Jack. I want you in every way I can get you.” _ Gabriel spoke with certainty, grinding hard to prove his point. 

_ Fuck.  _ This man was going to be the death of him. 

Satisfied, Jack moved to lift his mates hips up slightly, wiggling out from underneath to settle in a more upright position against the headboard. Once settled, Gabriel was quick to jump back onto his lap, crashing their lips together and groaning as Jack’s hand wrapped around his heavy cock. The alpha’s hand shot up to grip his mate’s hair and yank it to the side, allowing him to kiss at his bonding mark. Jack gasped as Gabriel sucked and nibbled at it, careful to not break the skin. 

_ “My mate. My Jack. Mine.” _ , he whispered into his shoulder, making the omega shudder. He could feel and taste the alpha scenting him, the air heavy with possessive pheromones. Jack gripped worked the alpha’s cock faster, finding satisfaction in the aborted gasps that fell from his lips. His own member throbbed, desperate for relief. 

Not willing to pry the alpha off his neck, Jack reached for the nightstand, pulling the drawer open and fumbling around inside it. Luckily, the bottle of lube was easy enough to find and he fished it out, dropping it at his side. 

Noticing Jack’s actions, Gabriel pulled away from his mate’s delightful scent and taste, settling back on Jack’s hips once more. His dark eyes bore into Jack’s own, a look of pure want gracing his features.  _ “You want to fuck me, Jack?” _ the latino teased, licking his lips and sliding his firm ass against the omega’s swollen member. 

“Gabe. Fuck.  _ Yes. _ ” Jack stuttered out, each word accented with a rough grind. 

The alpha groaned before lifting himself up slightly, grabbing at the bottle of lube. Jack wasn’t having it, letting go of the man’s cock to grip at his wrist, yanking it out with his other hand. 

“Spread your legs.” He commanded, the alpha quickly obeying, leaning forward slightly and using the omega’s shoulders for balance. 

Jack rumbled at the sight of his mate, flushed and needy. He quickly uncapped the bottle, pouring a good amount on his fingers before setting the bottle at his side again. Gripping his thigh tightly, he slid his lubed hand under the shivering body of his mate, gently rubbing the lube against his ass. Gabriel shuddered, bowing his head to rest it against Jack’s. He could feel the man’s breath hitch and waver as he worked the pads of his fingers softly. 

Impatient, Gabriel started grinding his ass against Jack’s fingers languidly. The omega gripped his thigh harder, stilling him before slipping the tip of one of his fingers in making the alpha moan. He was met with some resistance, but slowly worked out the tension until he was able to smoothly glide inside the other man. Gabriel was breathing heavily, squirming against his hand. 

_ “Ja-ck!” _ , he gasped out, begging his mate for more. Jack obliged, sliding in another finger with almost no effort. He slid his free hand from Gabriel’s thigh to his ass, spreading his cheek as he scissored his fingers inside the alpha. God, hearing his mate moan and cry out made him want to roll him over and fuck him into the mattress, but he had to be patient. He didn’t want to hurt the man. 

Before long, he slipped a third finger inside his alpha’s hot body, spreading them smoothly against his entrance. Gabriel’s fingers were digging into his shoulders, his head thrown back as he openly demanded more. Jack reached down for the lube again, pulling his fingers out just long enough to coat them again before shoving them back in. If Gabriel wanted more, he was going to give it. 

He clutched at his mate’s waist, attempting to hold his writhing body still as he twisted his fingers wildly inside his ass, brushing his prostate with every sweep. Gabriel gasped and cried out hoarsely with each rough stroke, shuddering uncontrollably.  _ “Fuck. JACK!” _ he shouted, thighs shaking with the effort to keep himself up, flushed cock jumping against his stomach. 

Suddenly, Gabriel’s hand shot out to grip his wrist and Jack stilled immediately, glancing up at his mate in concern. 

_ “If you don’t start fucking me, I’m going to kill you right here and now.” _ , the alpha growled menacingly- or as menacingly as he could with the utterly wrecked look on his face. Jack smiled. “Of course, Gabe. Whatever you need.” he spoke slyly, pulling his slick fingers out of his hole. 

Before he could get to it himself, Gabriel grabbed the bottle of lube and reached for the omega’s neglected cock. He poured a generous amount of lube on the tip and worked it over the shaft, making Jack throw his head back in ecstasy. He watched through lidded eyes as the alpha jerked his hand over his leaking member before shifting to press it against the pliant, slick entrance of his hole. 

He barely had time to hold onto Gabriel’s waist before the man lowered himself with a satisfied grunt. Jack gasped and jerked, the sudden warmth engulfing him. The alpha wasted no time, gripping the omega’s shoulders and bouncing on his cock with purpose. He could hear both of their voices crying out in pleasure as he watched Gabriel’s body shiver and tremble. Gathering enough senses, he thrust his hips up to meet the pace set by his mate. Overwhelmed, Gabriel stilled as his omega drilled into him, one hand flying up to grip at his own hair. 

Jack moaned, the heat of his alpha consuming him as he felt the absolute joy flow through their bond. He called his mates name, lost in the desire. Gabriel answered instantly, digging his fingernails into Jack’s shoulder. It was good -amazing even- but he needed more. He needed to hear his mate scream and come. 

Quickly, he pulled out of his alpha’s ass, not giving him time to protest before wrapping his arms around his waist and rolling him over to the middle of the bed. Gabriel fell ungracefully face down against the mattress, Jack settling behind him instantly, pulling his hips up to meet his. The alpha swiftly got his bearings, bringing his knees up underneath him and spreading them needily. It was exactly what Jack wanted. He wasted no time reseating his cock back inside his mate, making him cry out with satisfaction. 

He pounded into his mate, watching intently as the man writhed and moaned, his fingers curling into the sheets. He could feel his own release building, his thrusts stuttering. Gabriel watched him knowingly, his hand sluggishly moving down to grip at his bobbing cock. Jack snarled, moving swiftly to wrap his hand around his mate’s growing knot instead. He squeezed around it rhythmically, making Gabriel howl. The alpha’s moans grew more desperate as he thrashed around in Jack’s grip, before finally crying out and meeting his shuddering climax. Keeping his grip on his mate’s knot, he thrust intently, approaching his own orgasm. He chanted Gabriel’s name as he worked up to his finish, screaming and shaking as he filled his mate with his release. 

He thrust a few more times before all but collapsing onto his alpha’s back, barely keeping himself from crushing him into the bed. They were both breathing heavily, the warmth in their bodies echoed loudly by the warmth flowing through their bond. Jack felt good and he knew that Gabe felt good too. Keeping gentle pressure on his mate’s knot, he pulled out and rolled them onto their sides, spooning the man from behind. He buried his face into the back of the alpha’s sweaty neck, breathing in the pheromones saturating his pulse points. Gabriel lay completely limp in his arms, his breath slowly easing. 

He knew the alpha’s knot wouldn’t stay long, the lack of rut hormones making it impossible to keep inflated. He waited patiently, knowing the comfort the small gesture offered after such a huge shift in dynamic. Most alpha’s weren’t keen on being mounted and though he knew Gabriel enjoyed it, he worried about the impending drop. He nuzzled affectionately against his mate’s back, earning a soft grunt from the man. Eventually, the latino seemed to come back to himself as he leaned back into Jack’s embrace, snuggling his face under the omega’s chin. 

He felt the alpha’s knot slip from his hand and he slid his palm up to rest against his stomach instead. This allowed the man to turn further and he pressed soft kisses to Jack’s jawline. 

“You feeling okay, Gabe?”, he asked quietly. 

The alpha continued to nuzzle and fawn before finally answering.  _ “I feel fucking amazing, Jack. We need to do that more.” _

Jack chuckled, relief filling him. He pulled his bondmate closer and kissed him soundly. 

“Care to take a shower with me? We should have enough time to get a nap before meeting Angela tonight.”, he asked, leaning back and gazing into his mate’s satiated face. Gabriel merely yawned.

_ “Nap first. Then shower, mi cielo. Then Angela can do whatever she wants to me. I don’t think I could put up much of a struggle right now anyway.” _

Jack smiled. He couldn’t argue, the fatigue hitting him hard. They were both too far past their primes to be fucking like that and walking away without any after-effects. He reached down to pull off the soiled top sheet from under them and yank down the comforter from the end of the bed. Gabriel hummed appreciatively and settled against him again. Jack watched him for a few moments, the faint outline of mist escaping his lips, before shoving his face into the back of his mate’s neck and getting comfortable. 

They were going to wake up sticky and sweaty, but Jack found he couldn’t give a flying fuck so long as he got to wake up with Gabriel in his arms. 

**Just like how things should be. **


	7. Siete

Jack sighed, Gabriel kissing him lazily as hot water poured down their bodies. The alpha had insisted on sharing the shower, and Jack couldn’t deny him. He knew the man felt vulnerable, even a bit frightened, but he also knew that liberal application of attention would ease him more than any series of words could. It’s how Gabriel had always been. He preferred to touch and be touched and Jack would do anything to ensure his peace. He remembered the nights he spent listening to the older man whimper in the SEP, finally giving in to the wounded sounds after days and crawling into Gabriel’s bunk. He hadn’t felt great himself, but there together they found some kind of comfort in knowing that they weren’t alone. When your body felt like it was tearing itself apart, it was nice to have someone there to hold you together. 

So that’s what Jack did now. He held Gabriel together as he sought the comfort of his mate to block out the fear. Tonight would be the first of a long series of tests -and possibly even treatments- aimed at bringing the alpha back to full health. Jack had explained it to him as best as he could, and though he didn’t like the idea of being poked, prodded, and experimented on again, he was willing. He also seemed nervous at the concept of meeting Angela again after everything that happened. He knew her skills on the field were unmatched from recent confrontations, but he found his memory of her spotty at best beyond that. 

Jack had been subtly asking him about the other members and found much the same story elsewhere. It seemed that most of his emerging memories were tied to himself in someway or another- perhaps an effect of their bond. He didn’t press into the matter though, not wanting to force the alpha into relapse. He knew the journey to wholeness would be long and painful. He could be patient. 

The omega pulled away from his mate’s affections, opting instead to finish washing them both. The alpha preened at the pampering, happy to let his mate provide aftercare. He returned the gesture where Jack would let him and before long they were stepping out of the large en suite shower to dry off. 

\---------

Jack walked down the dark hallways lit by dim evening lighting. It was nearly 8 pm and Athena had enacted bedtime protocols for the base which meant no unnecessary lighting in the hallways- a feature that he and his wraith of a mate took advantage of. Jack was moving swiftly and boldly, hands in the pockets of his hoodie, shoes leaving echoing pats on the enamel flooring. If anyone saw him, he’d look like he was heading out for an evening jog as he was known to do. It was only if anyone looked closely would they notice the cloud of amorphous black smoke slipping through the darkness provided by poor lighting and his own shadow. 

He kept in touch with Gabriel through their bond, knowing that retaining such a form was painful and tiring. So far he seemed to be handling it well, but with a few more minutes of walking to go, he worried that his mate would overextend himself before reaching their destination. He jumped as he felt a breeze at his leg, looking down to see a tendril of mist coiling around his laces, seemingly trying to get them undone. He laughed and yanked his foot away to stomp at the prankster. He could feel the amusement rolling through the alpha as he kneeled to retie his sneaker, a larger amount of mist pooling around him. If the idiot could focus enough to try to trip him then perhaps he’d make it to the infirmary just fine. 

They did indeed reach Angela’s clinic without any problem, Jack slipping in quietly. Angela was waiting at the desk and smiled at him in greeting. 

“Doctor,” he nodded, continuing. “I was wondering if my implant maintenance kits have come in yet? My knees have been acting up something fierce lately.” A lie. His knee augmentations -something he had needed to keep his agility after Zurich- were just fine. 

“Of course, Jack. Old Blackwatch technology is hard to find, but we’ve managed to find something that can fix them up good as new.” the doctor spoke, putting down a stack of papers. 

There it was. Their code phrase for this meeting. They were safe. 

Jack nodded, turning around to lock the door as Gabriel quietly reformed in the darkest corner of the clinic. 

“Gabriel. Stop creeping around like a B-movie monster and say Hi would you?” he shot disapprovingly at his mate. 

_ “Stop pretending you don’t like my aesthetic, Jack.”  _ the alpha threw back playfully, making Angela gasp and turn as Gabriel stepped out of the shadows and into clear view, hands nestled into his sweatshirt, peering out from underneath a dark hood. He swiftly moved across the room to stand beside Jack, unable to resist the urge to nuzzle into his omega’s neck. He got a laugh out of the white-haired man as his beard tickled him and it made the alpha smile. 

“Get off me Gabe! We’re not alone.” Jack huffed between unflattering snorts, prompting the man to grumble but ultimately acquiesce and turn to meet the doctor’s bewildered gaze. 

Gabriel kept a loose hand on Jack’s arm as Angela snapped out of her surprise and stood. “Gabriel.” she spoke quietly, nodding at him. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

_ “I can’t remember the last time we met on friendly terms, doc. You’ll have to excuse me for my lack of enthusiasm.” _ the alpha spoke, his fingers curling ever so slightly tighter around his mate’s forearm. He was tense, unsure of himself and the woman in front of them. 

“Perfectly understandable, Reyes. I’m assuming Jack has told you about our plan for tonight?” Ziegler asked, thankfully dropping the prior subject. Jack wasn’t sure that the ex-mercenary was ready to talk to someone who was at worst an enemy and at best a reluctant friend. 

_ “It’s my understanding that you’re going to fix me, Zeigler.” _ the man said, a tone of sarcasm curling at the edges.    
  
“I’m going to try. I can’t promise it’ll be easy or pleasant, but I can promise I’ll do whatever I can to give you your life back.” Angela said, and Jack couldn’t detect a single hint of falseness in her declaration. It helped calm him.

_ “Why?” _ the alpha demanded, not as soothed as Jack was.

“Excuse me?” the doctor seemed taken aback.    
  
_ “I’ve been trying to kill you and everyone else here for years. Why help me?” _ Gabriel spat, straightening. 

There was a moment of silence. The blonde woman took a deep breath. 

“You were a friend once, Gabriel. A good commander. A hero. You made the sacrifices no-one else could and we let you fall into the tiger’s pit alone. If there’s any way to make it right, any way I can make up for missing how deeply in trouble you really were all those years ago, I’d like to try.” she paused a moment, collecting herself. 

“I don’t agree with what you’ve done as Reaper. I find some of it reprehensible and unforgivable, but if there’s any way to bring back the man I once knew and admired, then how can I say no?” she finished with a solemn smile, tucking her hands into her coat pockets. 

“Besides, this is the happiest I’ve seen Jack in a long time. Any venture that keeps away his grump is a worthy one.” the doctor spoke lightly, smiling honestly again.

Gabriel laughed -a real laugh that erased his anxiety.  _ “I can’t argue with that one. He can be a right old bastard when he’s moody.” _ the alpha yelped as Jack elbowed him indignantly. Gabriel darted away, a cheesy grin on his face.

_ “How do these people even live with you, Jack? It’s stockholm syndrome isn’t it? You have them all trapped here and I’m just another unsuspecting victim.” _ he cried dramatically, barely dodging the omega’s growling lunge. 

Gabriel scurried away, cackling.  _ “Getting slow there, anciano. Back in the day you woulda had my ass pinned to the ground before I could even move.”  _ Jack glowered at him. 

“That’s what happens when you get old, you fuck. Besides, I don’t think Angela would approve of me beating her patient. Even a pain in the ass like you.” the omega grumbled, turning away as he shoved his hands back in his pockets.

Gabriel couldn’t resist the opportunity and slid back up against his mate’s side. 

_ “I thought you liked it when I’m a pain in your ass, mi luna?” _ he whispered into Jack’s ear, causing a brilliant flush of embarrassment to crawl up his neck. It looked beautiful and reminded him of all the other ways he could make his omega flush. It was truly a shame that they had company. 

The sound of Angela clapping forced them apart. “ _ Mien gott, _ it’s like having children in here! Behave before I decide to throw you two outside!” she scolded, shaking her head. 

Luckily for Jack, Gabriel seemed to settle and they refocused on the task at hand. 

“Now Gabriel. Over the next week, I’d like to run tests to see what I can learn about your condition both physically and mentally. Once I’ve got the data, I’d like to start prying into what you remember. Is this agreeable to you?” Ziegler questioned, staring intently at the alpha.

Gabriel was quiet for a minute, his eyes darting to meet Jack’s before returning to the blonde woman. 

_ “Yes, doctor.” _ he said finally. 

“Wonderful! Let’s get started then.” she said jovially, moving to collect her instruments. 

Focusing on her task, she missed the way Jack pulled a slightly shaking Gabriel to him, kissing him softly. The act assuring his mate that no matter what, he’d be there every step of the way. By the time Angela was set, they were standing next to each other again, gently holding hands. 

\--------------

“I’ll be running tests on the samples over the next few days, but I’d like to get a few scans done before you turn in for the night.”, Doctor Zeigler spoke to the wraith sitting on her exam table. Jack was sitting to the side, watching over his alpha as Angela examined him and pulled numerous blood, tissue, and even bone samples. The marrow harvest hadn’t gone horribly, but Gabriel seemed overwhelmed. He was still sloughing mist off his back, partly due to stress and partly due to tiredness. Jack didn’t like seeing his mate like this, but he knew it was essential to assess his condition. 

_ “What kind of scans?” _ , the man grumbled, voice more gravelly than usual. 

“Just an MRI for tonight. It won’t take too long and you’ll be able to leave right after.” the doctor spoke, one hand resting on the latino’s shoulder. He hummed thoughtfully. 

_ “Very well, doc.” _ , Gabriel said finally. 

“Good, if you’ll give me a few minutes, I’ll prep the scanner and come get you when it’s ready.” she said, shuffling away. 

Jack waited until she moved through the back door of the infirmary before speaking. 

“You don’t have to do this tonight, Gabe. We have time to take it slowly.”

His mate was silent, staring at the floor as smoke pooled at his waist. He was still producing a disturbing amount, but Jack was wary to step into his space and comfort him quite yet. Finally, he heard Gabriel speak quietly. 

_ “I want to know what’s wrong with me, Jack. I need to know what they did to me.” _

Jack sighed, moving to get up from his chair. He stood in front of his alpha, the man looking much smaller than he had any right to, and reached a hand out to cup his face. Gabriel leaned into the touch and Jack took the opening to cradle his mate’s head to his chest. He could feel the man shivering. He didn’t like that he was pushing himself, but couldn’t argue. He supposed he’d make the same choice if in the same position. 

Jack hummed, stroking his mates hair as he watched him knit himself back together. By the time Angela reemerged, the mist had stopped collecting at his back and he seemed well enough to continue. Jack offered his alpha a kiss before stepping away and giving a nod to the waiting doctor. Gabriel rose, casting a glance at his mate before following Ziegler through the doors. 

Jack sat and waited impatiently for his return, foot tapping nervously against the floor. He didn’t like this one bit. 

\---------

The walk back to their quarters were as uneventful as the trip before, but Jack moved quickly anyway knowing his mate was distressed. The MRI had taken barely 20 minutes -the machine being state of the art- but it did something to Gabriel’s nanites. He was sluggish, his misty form easily scattered. He’d held together for the entirety of the scan, but seemed to be having issues controlling himself afterwards. Angela had determined it a side-effect of the magnets as well as exhaustion. He remembered her saying something about finding a solution to strengthen his nanites as she attempted to heal him with a biotic shot. 

Luckily, it had taken and after a few Gabriel was able to stand. 

If he wasn’t so worried about being caught, Jack would’ve just hauled the man into his arms and carried him to their quarters. As it was, they had to navigate the corridors once more as man and nanomachine cloud. 

They didn’t quite make it to the door before Jack felt his mate’s panic and heard a thud behind him. He jerked around to find a reformed Gabriel laying on his back in the hallway, breathing heavily as smoke curled around him. Jack ran to him immediately, reaching out for him. “Gabriel?” he called tentatively, watching the pained look on the alpha’s face. 

_ “Can’t… move.” _ the wraith breathed out, his face twitching. He could feel the confusion and pain of his mate, and nodded before scooping his arms underneath the man and hauling him up. Gabriel was limp in his arms as he carried him through to their quarters and into their bedroom, letting him down gently on the bed. He helped him out of unnecessary clothing before bringing the comforter up around him. He stripped himself the same way before curling up next to him and pulling the alpha to his chest. 

Gabriel was still in pain, but found sleep quickly enough as Jack soothed him. The omega was upset that his mate pushed himself so far, but it only served to make him more dedicated to their goal. 

They were going to fight this together, as they had promised each other. He just hoped that Gabriel wouldn’t tear himself apart before then.

\-----------

The cool, gentle glide of the water soothed him. The churning waves he caused with each stroke created a pleasant form of white noise that eased his nerves. Jack had always been a fan of swimming and the indoor pool at the center of the Watchpoint allowed him to indulge whenever he pleased. It was calming, the smooth resistance felt good on his achy joints and helped him think. It was early morning and very few agents were awake yet, allowing him this chance at quiet. 

Gabriel was still in their room recovering. He’d been sleeping before Jack left and he kept a finger on their bond to keep an eye on him. He was restless and needed to work out his tension before being able to properly care for his mate. He didn’t like leaving Gabriel alone, but he knew he was no use all wound up. The pool provided the oasis he needed.

Jack was approaching his 48th lap when he noticed a shape move to the end of the pool. He couldn’t tell clearly who it was from underneath the water, but approached the ledge of the pooldeck anyway. 

Coming up for air, he was greeted with the sight of a tapping foot, prompting him to pull off his goggles and gaze upwards at the disapproving figure, arms wrapped tightly around her chest and scowl on her aged face. 

“Ana.”, Jack greeted quietly with a nod. 

“Jack.”, she shot back with the harshness of motherly disappointment, making Jack recoil a bit. 

She wasn’t happy and that often meant very bad things for him. He would hope that he wasn’t about to be scolded, but he knew that was pointless as he was definitely in for something big. He sighed and moved to the adjacent edge of the pool, crawling up the ladder. He could feel her eyes on him and desperately prayed that the marks Gabriel had left on him were unnoticeable. He reached for his towel, dried himself, and threw it over his shoulders as he approached his ex-captain. 

Using the edge of his towel to clean out the water from his ears, he scowled at her. 

“Out with it, Ana.” he grumbled, not in the mood for prolonging the inevitable. 

“You’ve been missing for two weeks, Jack. Everyone’s been worrying,  _ I’ve _ been worrying, and yet here you are flailing about in the water like nothing is wrong.” the sniper scolded, the edge in her voice would mask the worry if she were talking to anybody but him, but she  _ was _ talking to him. 

“It’s called exercise and I haven’t been missing. I’ve been right here on base.” he mumbled, not sure how to defend himself against her. 

“Angela told us you were sick. I don’t see any signs of illness. Then Winston tells me you moved to the Blackwatch barracks for ‘Some goddamn peace and quiet’. What on earth is going on, Jack?” she demanded, hands moving from her chest to her hips. 

Jack gazed at her for a moment, and he knew she could see the pained look on his face as he decided what to say. He settled on just telling the truth, he could trust Ana and it was about time he remembered that.

“I was in heat, Ana.” he whispered, trying not to jerk at the sudden shift in her demeanor. She looked shocked.

“After all this time, how?” she asked, bewildered. 

Jack looked away from her questioning gaze, walking away to sit on one of the pool chairs. Ana followed, sitting in a chair opposite to him. He took a deep breath.

“Gabriel.” it was all he needed to say.

Ana was quiet a moment, before leaning forward to place a palm on his knee gently. 

“Oh  _ habibi. _ ” she said softly.

“Did he hurt you?” she asked, coaxing Jack to speak. 

“No.” he answered, shaking his head. “Something happened. Something changed.”

“What do you mean, Jack?” Ana questioned, worry lacing her voice. 

“He came to me asking for help. I think he wants to come home.”, he spoke carefully, not yet willing to tell her that Gabriel was already on base. That he was already home and currently waiting for him in the Blackwatch wing haunted by old memories he didn’t understand. He was suddenly grateful for the thick scent of chlorine in the room.  

“How are you sure he isn’t using you, Jack?”

He jolted, the question catching him off guard. His jaw went slack a few times before he lowered his head.

“I don’t know. I can just feel it. He doesn’t want to hurt any of us.”, his hand suddenly shot to his forehead, a wave of sadness overwhelming him.

“He wants to come home, Ana. He wants to be with me, he wants to be my mate again.” his voice wavered, cracked. 

“Oh Jack, why didn’t you come to me sooner?” she softly scolded, standing up to pull his head into her arms as sobs wracked his chest. He gripped the side of her shirt desperately, needing the contact. He needed someone else to know about what he was going through. He needed someone to listen. 

“I’m afraid, Ana. I’m afraid of it all falling apart.” he cried out, Ana holding him tighter. 

“I d-didn’t think I still loved him. I thought that part died years ago, but he brought it back and I don’t know what to do.” he was choking on his words, confessing his sins to the safe place Ana created for him. She had always made him feel safe. 

“You decide what you wouldn’t be able to live with not doing, and you do it, Jack.” she spoke gently. 

He nodded vigorously in her arms, a fresh stem of tears emerging. 

“H-how can you support me in this, Ana? I’m betraying you all.” he stuttered, the darkness consuming him. 

He felt Ana sigh and hold him tighter. 

“I’m not completely happy about it, Jack, but you’re not betraying us. You’re staying true to yourself. You’re healing.” she assured him firmly. 

His arm shot up to grip the back of her shirt as he burrowed his face deeper into her chest and let the words hit him. He was healing. It was okay. He was okay. 

He wasn’t a traitor. It was okay, he wasn’t a traitor. 

**There in his best friend’s arms, he let all the shame, guilt, and fear pour out. Ana didn’t judge him, just held him quietly as he shared the battle in his soul over the one he loved. The battle he waged _for_ the one he loved.   **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ana is a good mother, even to those that aren't her own.


	8. Ocho

Jack could remember when he first met Gabriel Reyes.

He was fresh out of basic- having enlisted the day he turned 18. He couldn’t stand by while people were dying, couldn’t sleep at night just waiting for the Omnics to strike. 

Plagued by nightmares about crawling machines and crumbling cities, he woke up on the day of his 18th, walked down to a recruitment center, and signed his life away to the U.S. Army. His mother would have been proud of him, his dad not so much. Not that he was aware of much anyway when he spent most of his nights drunkenly passed out on the couch. His relationship with his father was tenuous at best and when he packed a bag and shipped out three weeks later there were no words exchanged between the two of them. He gave his old dog a kiss on the head and walked out without so much as a wave at his father. There was no love lost between the two. 

So when he’d been offered a place at an experimental research facility that wanted to build better, faster, stronger soldiers for the Omnic War, it took all of ten seconds to decide to accept it. He had no-one at home to worry about his disappearance and he wondered if that had been part of the reason they approached him in the first place. They’d buttered him up with praise on his testing scores, his simulation success percentages, his dedication to the cause, but he knew they just saw him as another cog in the war machine. He was okay with that. He wanted to fight. He knew the moment he signed his name on the dotted line that he was another nameless face in the crowd. It’s what he wanted. He wanted to be broken, reshaped, rebuilt as something better. The SEP would give him that. He had nothing to lose.

When he arrived at the research facility, he was faced with the reality of his choice. He was debriefed in a hall with about fifty other new recruits. Their ranks were stripped- it didn’t matter if you were a private or a sergeant when you were a human guinea pig. They would be rooming with one other subject as a way to provide camaraderie and have an extra pair of eyes if anything went wrong. They would follow strict diets and training routines as their treatments went on. Then, if there was anyone left by the end of it, they’d be shipped out as a unit to fight the Omnics in about a year. 

Jack was okay with this. He had nothing to lose. 

What he heard next made his body go cold. 

“In order to mitigate side-effects and unforseen reactions, all subjects will be denied access to suppressants. Scent blockers will be provided for those that want them, but we can not allow anything that risks the progress of our program.” the commander announced calmly, and Jack was relieved that he wasn’t the only one that seemed to react harshly to the news. He struggled to listen to the doctors as they described the procedures they had in place for patients as they cycled, the blood rushing in his ears.

This was it. He would be found out. He’d be singled out, looked down on, taken advantage of. Everything he’d worked so hard to achieve would be shadowed by the fact he was an omega- a  _ male _ omega. He’d been on suppressants since he presented- his father had insisted on them. The alpha made it known that Jack was better off hiding his nature. Partly out of actual concern and protection and partly out of shame. Jack didn’t fight it, he knew how his kind were looked at. Female omegas were one thing- the majority of women were and it was hardly anything to hold against them. Male omegas were rare, and no matter what- society emasculated them for it. Oddities, outcasts, a male omega could never lead. No-one would follow him.

“Hey blondie, you okay there? You look like you’re about to be sick.”

Jack startled and turned to face the voice and was confronted with the sight of another recruit. The man was muscular, more so than himself, his hair hidden underneath a grey beanie, hands tucked inside a West Point hoodie. The man had kind eyes, but his face was contorted into an expression of concern, one eyebrow raised. 

Jack tightened the fists behind his back, trying to ignore the adrenaline rush that made his chest tremble. He noticed that the assembly had wrapped up and that he was surrounded by socializing soldiers. He relaxed his demeanor, voice coming out smooth enough to hide his panic. “I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”, Jack curtly replied, turning on his heels to walk away when a hand clapped down on his shoulder. 

“Hey man, I didn’t mean any offence.” this guy was grating on him, the touch made him feel uncomfortable. He had never felt so vulnerable in his life and here some stranger was touching him like they were best friends. Jack froze, swallowed the frustration, and turned to face the man once more. Immediately, the man’s hand dropped from his shoulder and extended out in greeting.

“Name’s Reyes. I’m your roommate.”, Reyes offered with a smile that somehow felt less like a friendly gesture and more like a grimace of pain. 

Ah. Lovely. Mr. Nosey was going to be his partner in this hellhole. Might as well be friendly then, even if he felt like a guppie in a shark tank.

He gripped Reyes hand firmly, giving a shake. “Morrison.” 

Reyes seemed to smile a little more convincingly at him and reached down to grab his bag. Jack mirrored the action, remaining quiet and sporting what he could imagine was a very impressive bitch face. He was usually much friendlier, but just couldn’t manage it when his entire career was crumbling before his very eyes. 

“Let’s go get settled in, yeah? Then grab some dinner?” Reyes asked, leading the way with that grimacing-smile. 

Jack wondered to himself whether the man was a beta or alpha. He clearly had no worries about the announcement like himself. He followed Reyes as he moved confidently through the crowd, looking back once to make sure Jack was following him.

Jack scoffed to himself. If god had any fucking mercy left for him, Reyes would be a beta, but Jack knew better. He hadn’t believed in god for years. He doubted the man-on-high believed in him either. 

\---------------------

Jack leaned forward on the console as Angela pointed to a dark shape in the middle-back of a colorful image that represented Gabriel’s brain. It was about the size of a pea, but the omega didn’t like the look of it one bit. 

Gabriel seemed far more calm, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed, a scowl on his face. It had taken days for Angela to properly examine his MRI scan and they rushed to her clinic as soon as she could see them safely. 

_ “What is it?” _ the alpha demanded. 

“I’m not sure exactly. It appears to be some kind of implant. This is the clearest image I have of it.” the doctor offered, a shrug on her shoulders. 

“Could it be transmitting? A chip maybe?”, Jack growled, his mind jumping to the worst possible conclusions. What if Talon has been watching them this whole time?

“I don’t think it’s anything like that. There’s no indication of it being cybernetic. It’s more likely that it’s producing a hormone that suppresses Gabriel’s thoughts and actions. Possibly even his memories.”, Zeigler leaned back on the console, turning to look at Gabriel.

“The best course of action is to retrieve it and study it, but I’m unsure that surgery is possible with your advanced healing.”, she spoke, a hint of frustration in her tone. 

She had been studying the wraith. The tissue samples provided valuable insight to his condition, but she had also indulged in rather strenuous testing of his physical abilities. As far as she could see, he was still largely human, but the nanites had bonded to his body almost completely. They reproduced on their own, gathered materials from available resources, and maintained Gabriel’s body like a super immune system. Gabriel was aging, the nanites unable to mitigate the natural degradation of his cells, but quickly tended to any outside traumas. 

Jack recalled his discomfort at how easily Gabriel had submitted to almost barbaric testing of this reaction. Angela had gripped his arm, pulled a microscope over it, and cut into his flesh with a scalpel. Gabriel hadn’t even jerked, merely watching with bored interest as his skin mended itself only for the doctor to cut it open again. 

Jack had had to leave the room, unable to take the sight of his mate acting like this was normal. Gabriel had explained to him later that it was. Talon had tested him thoroughly after his creation- at this point he was used to it. Jack spent most of the night jogging, unable to get the image of his mate strapped to a table and cut open like some kind of living corpse. It was all he could think of as Angela took her testing further and further. It made him sick.

“So you’re saying we have no way to get the implant out?”, Jack spoke sharply. 

“I can attempt, Jack, but I’m unsure if I’ll even be able to get anywhere close. Do you know how delicate and time-consuming brain surgery is? Gabriel would heal within minutes of me cutting into his skull and I’d have to do it all over again. I wouldn’t be able to get the implant out cleanly.”, the doctor said, exasperation in her voice.

There was silence.

_ “I might have a solution, doc.” _ Gabriel called from his place in the chair. He seemed nervous, but continued. 

_ “They got that thing in my head somehow and I think I know how.” _

Angela focused intently on the alpha, encouraging him to continue.   
  
_ “Brain injuries take longer to heal than the rest of me do. I remember waking up in a morgue after getting nailed in the head on a mission.”  _ he said, tapping to the side of his head, _ “They didn’t expect me to wake up from that and apparently I had gone into stasis for almost three days before coming to.”, _ the alpha shifted uncomfortably in his chair, Jack’s heart found a new pit to fall into. 

“Are you suggesting that surgery could be successful?”, Angela asked hopefully.

Gabriel looked up to see his mate’s horrified expression before facing the doctor again. 

_ “Nothing so easy, doc. Talon tried, they couldn’t get in when I was fully revived.” _

Ziegler looked down with frustration, “Then what do we do, Gabriel?”

_ “You shoot me, doc.” _

Jack saw red. The words crashed inside of his heart like a fastball. Gabriel was  _ telling them to shoot him. _ Gabriel must have felt his distress, reaching out to grip his mate. 

Jack pulled away. 

“No. We are not doing that. You’re not going to get shot in the fucking head, Gabe.”, Jack spat.

_ “I want this thing out, Jack. This is the only way.” _

He was hyperventilating. He turned to face Angela, only to see her holding her head in thoughtful consideration. 

“No. We’re not doing this.”, Jack insisted, pointing a finger at the doctor. 

“It could work, Jack. If we place the…  _ injury _ right then I’m certain I can remove the implant without lasting harm.”, she replied calmly. 

Jack sprung back as if burned, a hand reaching up to grip his hair. He turned away from the calm gaze of his mate, unable to take it. He startled as a pair of arms wrapped around his waist. 

_ “I know, Jack. But please, do this for me.” _ , the alpha whispered into his neck. 

Jack breathed deeply, leaning back into his mate. 

“Let me think it over, Gabe. I want to make sure it’s our only choice.”

_ “Okay, mi luna. We’ll think about it.” _ , Gabriel replied, squeezing his omega to calm him. 

\------------------

They were in their room again, Jack cradling his alpha as he slept. He was unable to rest, the evening’s events fresh in his mind. 

Removing the implant could mean getting Gabriel his memories back, but at what cost? Angela wasn’t too sure that the alpha’s nanites would be able to reassemble his brain as it was before. What could change? Would removing the implant mean losing his memories forever? Would the mercenary regress? Become violent? Forget about him again? There was too much to risk. 

Luckily, they had time to examine all of their options. 

Jack took another deep breath and shoved his face into the pillow, pulling his mate closer. 

**They had time now. **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time huh?
> 
> Would be a shame if something HAPPENED to it...


	9. Nueve

The day following their arrival, all recruits were required to meet with the doctors for testing as well as run physical tests with the handlers. They wouldn’t receive their shots for a few days yet as the scientists ensured that each candidate was compatible. 

Reyes walked with him to the medical ward, wearing that same hoodie and beanie as the day before. Jack found it amusing. They hadn’t talked much since meeting, but Reyes seemed like a guy he could learn to like. Right now though? He was annoyed by everything. 

They were lead into a room with medical beds and were directed to sit down as the doctor asked them questions while taking blood samples. 

Basic questions were asked. How old, what ethnicity, where were you born, how long were you in the Army, an endless list of mundane things. He came-to suddenly as the white-coat asked the nest series of questions. 

“Endotype? Have you ever bonded? Had children?”, the doctor asked offhandedly, marking her clipboard. 

“Never bonded, never had kids. Can’t you read my blood for the last one?”, Jack answered curtly, drawing his roommate’s attention from across the room. Fucking great. 

“Of course, and we will, but we also need to make sure you have everything you need to take care of yourself when you leave here.” the doctor answered, smiling slightly. 

Jack bowed his head in defeat. Reyes shifted noticeably across from him, only adding to his discomfort. His roommate was about to find out what he was and he hadn’t even been able to build a good impression yet. 

“Omega.” he spoke softly.

The doctor seemed taken aback, stunned for a moment before making a notation on her little brown clipboard. “That’s… a rare one. It shouldn’t cause any problems with the serums though.”, she trailed off before continuing, “And you, Reyes?” 

The latino seemed lost in space, making Jack incredibly uncomfortable. Reyes stuttered back to life when the doctor repeated herself. 

“Uhh... no, no, and Alpha.”, he finally choked out, eyes on Jack the entire time. 

_ Fucking perfect. His partner was a fucking alpha. _ Jack grimaced and looked away.

The doctor wrapped up her questions before addressing them again. 

“So as you know, we are restricting access to suppressants during the length of the program, but things like scent blockers and basic non-hormonal prophylactics are available freely here at the infirmary.” Jack shifted uncomfortably, the doctor continuing, “This is not a traditional military facility, we are unsure as to the effects the program will have on our patients cycles so we are overlooking the usual fraternizing restrictions in favor of providing a safe environment for our subjects to… explore.” Jack gawked, staring at the doctor as a blush creeped up on his face.

“We encourage patients to stay inside their quarters during their cycles as they appear- a lockout procedure will keep any outsiders from bothering you -but should you feel unsafe for any reason, we have containment rooms available. They’re not as comfortable though which is why we recommend patients stay in their quarters.” the doctor finished. 

Jack was horrified. Not only was he going to be denied suppressants, he was going to be told to stay in his room with  _ him _ . Fuck that. “How do we request a containment room?”, Jack asked. He noticed the way Reyes flustered and looked away, clearly uncomfortable.

“You meet with one of us here with your essentials and we’ll place you on lockdown until you are able to return to the program.”, the doctor answered, not at all bothered by the clear air of anxiety in the room. 

“Now here, if you don’t have any more questions, here is a box of scent blockers to use at your discretion. I have other patients waiting for me. You are both cleared to return to your room and prepare for your physical tests out in the gym in an hour.”, she said, handing out a box to both of them before turning to leave.

Jack was the first to jump up and leave the room, Reyes rushing to catch up with him.    
  


“Hey, Morrison! Wait up!” the man called after him. Jack didn’t stop, his anger rising quickly. 

Jack snarled and turned as he felt Reyes grab his shoulder. He backed up immediately, hands up. “Sorry!”

“What do you want, Reyes?”, Jack snapped, his hackles raised. 

“Umm, well I mean we’ve only known each other for two days and after the information we both just got blindsided with, I think it’d be a good idea to talk about it. You know, because we’re kinda stuck with each other through this? We’re supposed to be working together.” he spoke quickly, hands out in in an open gesture. 

“The only thing you need to know is that I take my place here very seriously and that I won’t be doing  _ anything _ to jeopardize that.” Jack snapped, standing tall noticing that he had a height advantage on the alpha. It was barely an inch or two, but it satisfied him nonetheless. Reyes seemed unfazed.

“Great! Because I don’t plan on doing anything either. I’m just here to fight Omnics like you. I don’t care that you’re… uh…” he stuttered painfully.

“An omega?”, Jack finished for him. “Good to know I’m acceptable.”

The alpha flushed and jerked backwards, hands back up. “That’s not what I meant! Meirda, will you just calm down a moment? I’m not attacking you.” 

Jack took his words into consideration, relaxing a bit. “You’re right, sorry. I’m testy. I’ve never had my status outed like that before.” 

Reyes looked down. “Yeah, neither have I. Let’s just say we’re both uncomfortable. I’ve never met a male omega before- I don’t want to come off as a prick before you even get to know me.”

Jack took a deep breath. “I’m not any different than anyone else here, I just want to do my part in this war.” 

“Yeah, me too. So let’s call a truce and try to be friendly before our genetics get scrambled, yeah?” the alpha asked, hand out in invitation.

“Yeah.”, Jack replied, gripping the man’s hand. Maybe Reyes wouldn’t be so bad to be around after all. 

\-------------------

Jack woke to the sound of his communicator beeping from his desk. Grumbling, he pulled himself from the warmth of his mate and wobbled over to the desk. Positioning his camera to cut the alpha out of the image, Jack answered the call. 

“Good Morning, Jack! Sorry for calling so early, but I have a mission that I believe you’ll be interested in.”, Winston greeted from the holocaster. 

“What kind of mission?”, his voice rough with sleep. 

“Come to the debrief room in an hour, I’ll give you all the information you need there. You’ll be leaving today.” Winston answered, pushing his glasses up onto his face. Jack nodded before cutting the call, leaning back in his chair. 

_ “Looks like our vacation is up, Jack.” _ , Gabriel called sleepily from the bed. 

Jack grumbled. “There’s always work to be done. No rest for dead men like us.”

The alpha yawned.  _ “You’ve got an hour, get back over here.” _

Jack laughed, dragging himself up. “Only for a bit, Gabe. I need breakfast.”

He crawled back into the comfortable warmth of the blanket, Gabriel quick to wrap around him, pressing kisses to his face. Jack squirmed, chuckling. 

_ “Oh, mi luna. We’re not going back to sleep. I have better ideas.” _ the alpha murmured into his neck, his hands wandering. 

Jack didn’t need that much convincing to stay in bed.

\--------------------

He quickly walked across the facility, zipping up his jacket as he went, hungry and sporting a barely noticeable limp as he grumbled loudly about a certain attention-demanding wraith. If he moved fast enough, he’d get to the debrief room in time. 

Luckily, he did manage to get to the conference in time, striding confidently to an open chair. Winston, Ana, Reinhardt, Hana, Lena, and Jesse were all present. He let out a huff as he settled, Ana giving him a judgmental look from behind her ornate cup of tea. He stared coldly back, daring her to speak, and she eventually shrugged and looked away, a knowing smile on her lip. The others just looked on confused.

“Uhem, well then. Nice to see you again, 76. Let’s go over our mission.”, Winston sorting through papers uncomfortably. 

He leans back in his chair as the room darkens and Athena pulls up a series of images at the center of the table. 

“Two weeks ago, we received intel that a Talon base in Cadiz was destroyed without any apparent attackers.”, Winston began, pulling up an image of a burning compound. Jack did his best to stifle a smile. 

“Resources indicate that someone blew it up from the inside. There appears to have been no survivors.” Winston continued. 

“Are you sayin’ we might have an ally on the inside, Win?”, Jesse piped up. 

“I am unsure, but it appears that Talon has halted all operations for the time being.”

“What about Widowmaker, Sombra, and Reaper? Where are they?”, Lena asked.

“We have found images of Widowmaker and Sombra at a base in Europe, but we haven’t had any lead on Reaper.”, said Winston. 

Jack sighed, of course there weren’t any leads. The lazy fuck was passed out in his bed curled around Jack’s favorite sleep shirt that he refused to give back.  _ “For safekeeping, Jack.” _ , he’d said. He knew that was bullshit. 

“I have only been able to find this image.” Winston interrupted his thoughts, pulling up new data. It was an image of Reaper, fuzzy as he seemed to be lunging at a cowering man, torn coat flying behind him. There were flames behind him, throwing his maskless face in shadow, yet gleaming against his bloodied gauntlets sinisterly. 

“What’s he doing? He’s not even using his guns!”, Hana inquired, focusing intently. 

“I can only assume that Reaper was on base when it was attacked. If he was caught by surprise it’s possible that with the fact that no new images of him have appeared, he is either seriously injured or dead.” Winston offered solemnly. 

“Who’sat he’s aimin’ to rip apart?”, Lena asked. 

“I’m not sure. They’re wearing very plain fatigues. It could be a member of the attacking group or possibly an unlucky Talon grunt that got in the way of his rampage. It’s hard to say, he’s never shown any consistency to accurately guess his actions.” Winston muttered. 

Jack was taken in by the image. It was solid proof that what Gabriel had told him was true. Not that he’d flat out disbelieved the man, but it was nice to see proof. 

“If Talon is inactive, and Reaper is missing, then what is our mission?” Reinhardt called out from his corner of the table. 

“I’d like for us to take advantage and raid the destroyed base for clues as to what happened.” Winston said finally. “It appears to be unguarded, but I’d still like a full team out there to ensure that everyone gets home safely.”

“What are we looking for, Winston?” Jack asked, speaking at last. 

The gorilla gazed thoughtfully at the papers in front of him. “Truthfully I don’t know, Jack. If we do indeed have an ally, I’d like to find them. If they can blow an entire compound in a single evening, I’d rather that person be on our side.”

“And if we find nothing?”

Winston sighed. “Then I suppose it’s back to square one until Talon makes a move.”

Jack hummed. He didn’t like the shiver this mission was giving him. Something was wrong, but then again what wasn’t wrong? He wanted to find answers just as much as Winston did. Perhaps he’d get the opportunity to gather more information on Gabriel’s treatment that he could pass on to Angela. Perhaps he’d get the opportunity to put a bullet through the skull of whoever ran Talon. An unrealistic dream, but he humored the thought anyway. 

“If there’s anything useful in that ruin, we’ll bring it back.”, Jack said finally, leaning forward. 

“Good to hear! If everyone is agreeable, you will ship out in two hours, making it to the compound by nightfall.” Winston called in finality, moving from his seat.

There were nods of agreement and the agents all stood up to prepare for the mission. 

Jack was nearly out the door when Ana gripped his jacket and pulled him down to her, grinning. 

“You know, Jack. If you plan to keep your illicit affair with Talon’s most dangerous operative  _ secret _ , I suggest you refrain from walking into mission briefings drowning in the smell of sex.” she spoke, smiling the way a shark would upon seeing it’s next meal. 

Jack could feel the flush creep up his neck and face, staring down at Ana in shock. She merely reached up to pat his face sweetly. Though, with everything that came with Ana, the gesture felt far more sinister than it looked. 

She let him go and walked out of the room calmly. 

Jack propped up his collar and practically darted from the room, suddenly desperate for the hottest shower he could find. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ana takes no prisoners.


	10. Diez

Reyes wasn't bad to have around at all.

Though currently he didn't have much room to mull over the alpha's company as they raced neck-and-neck around the obstacle course alongside four other recruits. Jack's breath came heavily as they rounded the corner of the track, approaching the finish. Jack was nimbly navigating the course, but Reyes was keeping up with him well- if a bit ungracefully. The other recruits were a good few yards behind, giving Jack a sense of satisfaction at being able to show them all up.

He didn't spare Reyes a glance as he pushed himself harder, gaining a few feet of distance between him and the alpha before crossing the finish line and rounding the corner, slowly coming to a halt. He yelped as he felt a body collide into him, looking to find a sweaty, winded alpha breathlessly laughing as he reached up to ruffle Jack's hair.

"Goddamn, Morrison! Where'd you learn to run like that? I've not had a good challenge in years!", Reyes wheezed, giving him a hard slap on the back that made him fall forward a bit.

He grinned and grabbed a water bottle to toss to his partner, taking a sip from his own. "I was in track and field in high school. Best in my class. Never stopped running since.", he answered.

It'd been a week into the program, their injections had started and the handlers were keeping a close eye on their progress in training. They'd been told that the serums were a gradual buildup, that results would appear slowly at first then quickly as the chemicals saturated their systems. Currently their first course of shots were little more than vitamin cocktails to prepare their bodies for the harsher stuff that would come in a week's time. Until then, each recruit was being thoroughly tested to gauge the baseline of performance. It also provided a much needed outlet for the anxious recruits.

Currently, Reyes and himself were in the top five of nearly every board.

Reyes laughed and swung an arm around his shoulders as they walked off the field towards the showers. The alpha had proven to be a trustworthy guy, and if Jack admitted it to himself, a rather fun partner. Reyes hadn't spoken a word of his status to anyone- hadn't even brought it up between them once since their conversation in the hall. Jack was far from fully trusting him, but he did like the camaraderie that seemed to flow easily between them. For the first time in a long time, he felt normal. Like perhaps it truly didn't matter that he was an omega. If he was able to keep up with and even best a powerful alpha like Reyes, then what hold did his biology have on him at all?

He felt free. Like he could become something that even his dad could be proud of.

\------------

He should've known better.

He was locked in their shared bathroom, breathing heavily against the doorframe as he pressed his legs to the cool tile. His shirt was strewn onto the floor as he tried to focus on the cold air hitting his overheated skin. It was the first days of proper injections and because he was a magnet for bad luck, it had triggered the cycles of not only himself, but multiple other recruits throughout the base.

Which is why he was locked in the tiny bathroom instead of curled up in a sterile containment room at the infirmary. There was no space for him. Reyes hadn't returned from training yet, he himself having been allowed to skip them. His scent blockers couldn't hide the smell of his heat and he was grateful he wasn't being forced out onto the field in front of complete strangers while reeking of it.

There was a hope that his heat had gone unnoticed, but by the shocked stares he'd gotten in the hallway as he walked to the infirmary, he suspected word of his status would quickly spread. He felt a cold shiver as he recalled the hungry looks of a few of the other recruits that he'd previously easily outpaced during testing- like he was something they could conquer and dominate. It made his skin crawl.

He heard the door to their room shut, signalling that his roommate had come back from training. He heard Reyes shuffle about from behind the door, his sensitive hearing enabling him to notice every small movement.

There was a tap on the door, soft as if not to startle.

"Hey Morrison. I heard. You doing okay? I thought you'd be long gone by now.", he heard Reyes speak gently.

He took a deep breath, ignoring the pressure in his lower back as the voice of the alpha washed over him. His body was already rebelling against him, instincts pulling on him to act. He refused.

"T-they're full. I'm not the only one. They said there's at least 30 others and that more were showing up." he wheezed back, attempting to keep his voice even.

"That's shit. You'd think they'd be more prepared for this.", Reyes answered, a slide along the door signalling that he was leaning against the other side.

"They said they weren't expecting such an intense reaction. I think they barely put any thought into this at all." he spoke quietly, throat dry as he shifted to find a more comfortable position.

There was a long period of silence before Reyes spoke again.

"Is there anything I can do for you to make it better? You don't even have a blanket in there." he asked gently.

Jack thought it over. He hadn't gone through a heat since he presented and the floor of the tiny bathroom offered him very little comfort, but it was safe.

_Safe against what?_

He'd assumed that it would've been dangerous for him to cycle in the presence of the alpha, but the last two weeks had shown him differently. The man was friendly, even tempered, and laid back. The only aggression he'd shown was on the field where they'd push each other to the limits of their capabilities only to crumple in a heap and tease each other afterwards. He hadn't felt personally threatened once. Reyes was quickly becoming a friend to him, someone he felt comfortable around.

Would it really be so bad to trust him?

"You don't have to stay in there, you know. I'm not going to do anything to you, I just want you to be comfortable.", the words cut into his thoughts, startling him.

He shifted against the door, trying to find an answer in his muddled brain. He could hear Reyes shift nervously in return.

"If you want to stay in there, that's fine- just let me know if I can do anything to help. I hate knowing you're in there suffering.", he spoke, moving some more. Jack heard his footsteps fade as he left, and finally the creak of the bunk as the alpha laid down. Jack knocked his head against the door, the quiet loneliness clawing at him.

He didn't want to be alone.

Slowly, he maneuvered his legs underneath himself, feeling far too much like jelly as he stood. He braced himself against the doorknob, garnering courage within himself, before unlocking and opening it. The room was dark, the only light coming in from the evening sun. It was a lot more pleasant than the harsh lighting in the bathroom, his eyes feeling less strained. He took a minute to breath and adjust, his attention focusing on the back of the alpha curled up in his bunk from across the room. He hadn't stirred, the only movements he made coming from his even breathing.

He felt strong enough to move, making his way to his own bunk, flopping down on it and sighing. The mattress wasn't the best, but it was ten times better than the tile floor. After a minute, he reached to grab the bottle of water on the nightstand, downing it quickly before dropping it off onto the floor and rolling back onto his side. He felt boneless, weak. Reyes hadn't moved an inch.

He worked his throat a couple of times, fighting through the haze of his heat. "Jack." he croaked out.

The alpha rolled over to face him, clear confusion on his face. "What?"

"M-my name is Jack."

Reyes scrutinized him for a moment before relaxing. "Gabriel."

Jack smiled, the expression spreading slowly as if he was drugged. He could feel the exhaustion overtaking him, his eyelids growing heavy.

He fell asleep feeling sickly but secure as a soft melody weaved into his head. He could barely register what it was as consciousness left him.

 

Gabriel was singing to him.

\---------------

" _I want to come with you."_ , Gabriel whispered, their foreheads pressed together.

"You know that's not a good idea. The team doesn't know you're here and Talon can't know you're alive and with us.", Jack spoke quietly.

 _"_ _It's dangerous. I don't like it."_

"That's never stopped us before."

 _"_ _Promise me you'll come home, mi luna."_

"Always."

****

Gabriel kissed him softly, sweetly. It made his heart soar.

 

 

  
**When he climbed onto the dropship, duffle in hand, an old lullaby dredged up in his memory. He hummed softly as the door closed, the bond of his mate keeping him grounded as he prepared for the mission ahead of him.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lullaby is called Gaetas Lament, and it's what I was listening to while writing this chapter. It influenced the mood of the thing, in case you're wondering why it's a bit more somber than usual.
> 
> "Alone, she sleeps in the shirt of man, clutching my three wishes in her hand."  
> "The first that she be spared the pain that comes from a dark and laughing rain."  
> "When she finds love, may it always stay true. This I beg for my second wish I may too."  
> "But wish no more, my life you can take."  
> "To have her please, just one day wake."


	11. Once

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of this is SEP. 
> 
> Saving all that sweet mission drama for next chapter. Needed to get some plot out there first. It seems these flashbacks are pretty popular so maybe I'll try to make a few more chapters like this depending on how you all take it. =)

 

"You still alive, Gabe?”, Jack rasped out, unable to lift his head and check for himself.

He felt a clammy limb flop over his legs as a sarcastic, “No.” creaked out of the older man. He smiled weakly, if Gabriel was conscious enough to sass, then he was doing fine. Though fine was a relative term at the moment.

They were three months into the program and the latest bought of injections was having loads of fun with their basic functions. Breathing was painful, moving was painful, and their body temperatures were fluctuating every ten minutes. Jack felt like he could burst into a puddle of sweat any moment, the only relief coming from the cold tile floor under his back.

Both Gabriel and he were spread out onto the floor of their small bathroom, too tired to crawl back into bed and too afraid that when they did they’d have to run back to puke up whatever was left in their systems. Jack could hear his heartbeat in his head, too fast to be normal and leaving his brain fuzzy. Gabriel was wheezing, his body jerking every few minutes. They were fucking miserable.

The alpha was trembling longer than usual and Jack forced himself to crane his head up and over to where Gabriel was sprawled out next to him, head down by his ankles. His eyes were squeezed shut,clear pain etched across his face, body seizing every few seconds. Jack whined his partner’s name out to no response.

 He sat up further, leaning over to tug at the man’s shoulder. “Hey, Gabe. Come on man, say something would you?” His head rolled to the side, eyes sliding open slowly. “It fucking hurts.”

Jack said nothing in return, only reaching down to take Gabriel’s sweaty hand into his own, giving it a squeeze. He crawled over to flop down closer, offering his presence as a comfort. Gabriel rolled towards him, shoving his head into his shoulder and giving Jack’s hand a squeeze in response.

They’d make it through this like they had every other time. Some hadn’t, but Gabe and he would take it like they always did. They’d survive. That didn’t mean he didn’t worry though. 

He was exhausted, but refused to let it overtake him as he kept watch over Gabriel through the night.  
\-------------

Jack ducked, rolling under the jab smoothly to deliver a counterattack. His opponent sputtered, rocking back on his heels before angrily lashing out once more. The jerky, emotional movements worked in Jack’s favor as he sidestepped the attack, pulling on his arm and using his momentum to throw him down, pinning him to the mat. He struggled to free himself from Jack’s hold unsuccessfully as an alarm dinged, declaring Jack the winner of the round. He let Williams up, reaching out a hand in assistance. The alpha glared at him and jumped up on his own. Rude.

It was no matter to him, he shrugged as he reset his stance- ready for the next round. He breathed deeply, seeking control of the erratic energy creeping up his spine. He’d agreed to the fight, but soon after the start he had begun to feel the influence of yet another irregular heat. It had become a common event for him since the start of the program, sometimes they lasted for days- sometimes mere hours. He hoped this one was the latter. He was tired of missing training days to accommodate his fucked up biology. It was part of why he participated in after-training sparring like this- other than that it was fun of course. Being able to test your enhanced strength against an equal was a rush he couldn’t quit 

Williams moved into position and the bell went off again, the crowd shouting. A decent number of recruits showed up for these matches- it was entertainment. He glanced over to see Gabriel cheering loudly, pulling a smile from his lips. He refocused just in time to see Williams lunge at him.

Jack pulled back, dodging a jab as his shoulder. The punches kept coming, forcing him to circle his opponent as he sought an opening. The alpha was aggressive, but stupid. He hit hard and fast, seeking to suppress all chances for retaliation. It was just a matter of waiting for him to tire and subduing him like he’d done the last three rounds. 

A shiver traveled up his back, making him falter. Jack grunted as a fist flew into his side, forcing him to bend at the waist. He threw up his arms to guard himself, but Williams continued to attack his open points. Jack lunged, slamming his shoulder into the man’s chest making him stumble back. It was barely enough to buy Jack the time to restance himself before the alpha flew at him with a growl. There was a wild look in his eye that made fear lick up his neck. Something was wrong. The fight wasn’t fair anymore, the man abandoning all honorable restraint.

They grappled, Jack attempting to restrain the rabid attacks suddenly assaulting him. A heavy fist suddenly broke across his cheek, lighting his head up in agony. Focusing, he returned the blow quickly, trying to stand his ground and push back. A knee flew up and struck his abdomen making him gag and gasp. Suddenly he was being pitched forward, an arm around his throat. He hit the mat hard, his knees stinging as he was pushed even further down. Williams forced his entire weight on top of him, pressing him into to floor as he scrabbled to breathe, the stench of a dominating alpha filling what air he could draw. There was shouting, but he could barely hear it over the ringing in his ears. It was getting hard to see and his struggles grew weaker- Williams hips were pressed into his, making him thrash. He desperately wanted the man off him, the warning bells of danger filling his head.

Suddenly the arm around his throat disappeared as well as the weight on his back. Jack coughed and sputtered, rolling onto his back to see two blurry shapes lunging at each other. His eyes finally focused and he realized that Gabriel was on the mat backing the cheating asshole away from him. The two alphas were trading hits, a low growl coming from Gabriel’s chest. Jack quickly got to his feet, calling out to his partner. He didn’t want Gabriel to get hurt for his stupid mistake. He should’ve called the fight off as soon as he felt his heat stir- he was just too damn prideful. 

Williams jerked to face him as soon as he spoke, that look of animalistic aggression in his eyes as he shifted and jumped towards him. Jack jerked backwards, throwing his arms up to defend himself. A fist came up right into the incensed alpha’s ribs, a crack sounding through the room. Williams shouted, staggering back as Gabriel advanced on him. Having enough, Jack ran to restrain his roommate, pulling him backwards.

“Let me go, Jack! He was trying to kill you!” the alpha shouted, writhing and snarling to be let go.

“He’s had enough Gabe! Let him go. Let’s just go back to our room, okay?” The vengeful alpha stilled, still straining against his hold.

Williams slowly stood, holding his side and smirking. “Yeah, Gabe. Why don’t you take your omega and go? Fuck knows he needs it, you can smell him from over here.”

Jack’s eyes widened. The bastard’s smile spread as he took in short gasps of air.

“Or is he not giving you what you need, omega?”, he snarled. Bold move for a man who’s only just taken a major beating. Gabriel froze in his arms.

Jack’s expression hardened, leaning forward to rest his chin on Gabriel’s shoulder and sigh. “You know what, Gabe? Have at it.”, he spoke indifferently, letting the alpha go. The bastard’s eyes widened in fear, backing up. Gabriel didn’t move an inch.

“Nah, Jackie. I think this one’s all you.”, he said, crossing his arms.

“How thoughtful. Just what I always wanted- to punch a dick in the face.”, he mumbled half to himself, moving towards Williams as he stood there frozen in shock. Reeling his arm back, he let out a fist across the man’s face, knocking him out cleanly. The jerk deserved it.

“Only the best for you, Jackie.”, Gabriel answered, crossing his arms and raising his eyes at the sight of Jack flexing his hand.

Jack limped over to the place he’d left his things, leaning down to pick them up gingerly as Gabriel walked over help him back up. God he was sore. They waded through the small awestruck crowd and out into the hallway. They knew no-one would say anything and the bruises would be gone in a few days anyway. Jack doubted that Williams would be eager to explain how he was knocked out by an omega when getting his broken ribs tended to.

They walked in silence, the pain making Jack stumble every now and again, but Gabriel was there to help him when he needed it. He felt like he’d been dropped off the side of a cliff thanks to the sensitivity his heat was forcing on him. He just wanted to curl up in bed and sleep for three days.

He also was incredibly horny, the pheromones that the two alpha’s had put off while fighting spurning his cycle into overdrive. It made his lips curl. With how musky Gabriel smelled, he was sure that his rut had started as it always did when he went into heat. Hazards of living with an omega. Gabriel had never complained. 

Gabriel was favoring his right side, probably from taking hits for Jack’s sake. It made anger bubble in his chest- he’d gotten hurt for his stupidity. The anger fanned in his chest as he realized just how weak he was on the battlefield. He was trying so hard to reign in his heats and fight through them unwilling to be coddled- but it always ended the same way. He’d crawl back to his bunk and spend however long soaked in his own arousal and self-loathing. He didn’t know how Gabriel still stuck around him through it- he’d expected the alpha to have rethought their friendship by now. Maybe even request a room change. He wouldn’t have blamed him. 

They reached their door, Gabriel unlocking it and slinging an arm under his to help him limp into the room despite his own injuries. Self-sacrificing idiot. Never knew when to just let him face the consequences of his actions.

“C’mon, Jack. Need to get you patched up and into bed.”, he said gently. There was a hint of frustration, but he seemed genuinely concerned. It made Jack’s shame double.

He was set down gently on the edge of the tub in their bathroom, Gabriel reaching under the sink for their first aid kit. “I’ll need you to take off your shirt.” he commanded, no room for argument.

Jack obeyed, biting back a whine at how the material dragged across his sensitive skin and sore muscles. Gabriel took in a breath, “He really did a number on you Jackie.” Jack just looked away, refusing to say anything.

“Is it okay if I touch you?”

Jack took a moment to steel himself, his emotions were running wild and his instincts were pulling at him to let Gabriel do a lot more than just patch him up. Seeing the alpha come to his defense had given his mind far too many unhelpful thoughts on the matter. After a minute, he nodded his head and steadied his breath.

Gabriel’s fingers gently traced the edges of his developing bruises, checking for breaks and soreness. The mixture of pain and care made him shiver noticeably. Gabriel didn’t remark on it, he never did. It was part of why he let the man so close to him during these times when he was so vulnerable. He treated him like he was normal and not a weakness. 

“That was stupid. I hope you know that. You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone, least of all putos like him.”, Gabriel quietly scolded him. Jack bowed his head.

“I can’t be a liability, Gabe. I need to learn how to work through my heats.”

“You’re not a liability, Jack.”

“He saw I was vulnerable, Gabe. He took advantage of that.”

Gabriel stopped his prodding for a moment, choosing to crouch and stare up at Jack instead. “He took advantage of you and that makes _him_ the liability. Not you. If you didn’t notice, you were kicking his ass until he started fighting dirty.”

Jack stared back coldly. “War is dirty, Gabriel.”

Gabriel sighed, looking away. “Just watch out for yourself please? I’m not always going to be there to pull your crazy ass out of whatever fire you launch yourself into.”

Jack didn’t answer, just looking away once more as Gabriel resumed his gentle prodding. He knew Gabriel wouldn’t always be there, that’s why he tried so damn hard. Not everyone would treat him fairly, not everyone would give him a second chance to prove himself. He needed to hone his skills, learn to succeed on the first try. Sometimes one chance is all you had. 

Gabriel moved quickly but carefully as he treated Jack’s wounds. There were only a few cuts, the worst being on his cheek. The bruises were washed with warm water to help the muscles settle and by the end of it, Jack was barely holding it together. He needed to get away as the tender touch of the alpha’s hands bit into him like fire. He knew Gabriel could tell, but he remained infuriatingly silent as he always did. 

“Alright, blondie. You’re good to go.”, Jack let out a rough breath and got a nose full of rut for his trouble. Fuck, he needed to go lay down before the worst of his heat reared up and made him do something stupid. He needed to sleep it off.

He wobbled past Gabriel into the room, making a beeline to his bunk and crawling under the blankets, making a point to completely cover himself. He didn’t want to torture Gabriel more than he had to, not too keen on seeing or smelling the man either. He heard Gabriel tidy up the bathroom before changing and crawling into his own bunk. Settling, he fell into a fitful sleep.  
\--------------

He woke up sweating and shivering. He kicked off the scratchy blanket and gasped as the cool air touched his warmed skin. His mind was hazy, his shorts damp and uncomfortable. The worst part were the spasms in his abdomen, his heat finally rebelling at being left repeatedly unattended despite having an alpha available. He pressed his hands into the muscles trying to get them to calm, each tremor ripping through him in agony. He wondered how long he’d been cramping, the pain was immense. He gasped and whimpered, rolling onto his side and trying to hold himself together. In his delirium, he noticed that Gabe was missing from his bunk. He let out a sharp laugh. Of course he’d left. Part of him was glad the man was gone so he didn’t see the pitiful state he was degraded to, the other part of him hurt at being abandoned. 

He felt tears sting his eyes as he tried to breathe through the pain, he’d never had a heat this bad before. Everything was far too intense. Wrapped up in his own hell, he missed the sound of the door opening, only realizing Gabriel had returned when the scent of him filled the room once more. It forced another painful contraction through his abdomen making him writhe.

“Fuck, Jackie look at me. Are you okay?”, he felt warm hands cradle his face and he drunkenly rolled his eyes open to see the face of his worried roommate crouched by the side of his bed. He smelled heavenly, the warmth in his hands making him purr involuntarily. _Alpha. He came back. He’s here to take care of me._ He tired to fight the thoughts but they just kept coming, the touch soothing him.

“Jack, I need you to roll back over, can you do that?”, the alpha asked, his voice quiet yet still enough to make a shiver crawl up his spine. He did as he was asked, rolling over onto his back and arching as his instincts encouraged him to present himself. He could see the reaction it wrought from the alpha, a sharp breath passing through his lungs. He could see him fighting for control, expression calming as he won. It sent a confusing mixture of disappointment and relief through him.

“I-I got this from medbay. You’ve been shivering and whining for awhile, they said it’d help.”, he leaned over, placing a heavy, plush heating pad on his lower abdomen. Jack could’ve cried with how good the heat felt, his muscle’s trembling finally subsiding. He took in a deep breath, relaxing a little as the relief spread through him.

“Here’s some water, you need to drink it.”, he said, holding a water bottle out. Jack accepted eagerly, downing half the bottle before flopping back onto the mattress and spreading out.

Jack’s hand shot out to grab Gabriel’s arm as he went to stand up and walk away. “Stay.”, he purred.  

Gabriel looked like he’d been hit, soft brown eyes blown wide and lips trembling as he struggled to respond.

“I d-don’t think that’s a good idea, Jack.”

“It helps when you’re close. Please.”, he begged. The heating pad was working, but the rest of the stress of his heat was still coursing through him. He needed Gabriel. He needed someone he could trust to keep him safe and not hurt him.

He pulled gently against the alpha’s hand, this time he went willingly. He crawled onto the mattress, moving into the space Jack provided for him. He pulled Gabriel’s arm over his chest, encouraging him to lay down. He obeyed, pressing himself up against Jack’s side and burrowing his face into his shoulder. His arm tightened around the omega as he settled. The effect was nearly instantaneous, the weight of his heat lifting almost immediately. It was still uncomfortable, but it was bearable as the scent and warmth of Gabriel soaked into his skin. There was barely any room for them both, but curled up close like this it was enough.

There was parts of him hating himself for being weak, for inviting the man into his bed when he could barely defend himself. He was too comfortable to really give a fuck. He could deal with the consequences later. With how easily Gabriel had calmed, he’d probably been needing this too- but afraid to ask. They weren’t doing anything obscene, just holding each other until they could sleep. It was a middle ground that Jack’s logic could accept, even if it was a little too close for his ego’s comfort. He needed it, they _both_ needed it. 

As the warmth of the heating pad and Gabriel’s too-warm body surrounded him he sighed, fatigue crashing into him once more. 

He’d deal with what all of this meant later. Right now he was going to enjoy feeling safe for the first time in months.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been debating whether or not I wanted to do this and decided why the fuck not. 
> 
> You wanna come harass me on Tumblr, please do. URL crankstahensch


	12. Doce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back in the saddle guys, it's about time I put out another chapter.

They were maybe an hour out from the drop point. Ana and Reinhardt were sharing tea and talking jovially at the table across the room, Jesse and Lena having challenged each other to a game of HORSE. Neither were terribly good, but at least Lena had some semblance of agility. Watching Jesse attempt to outmaneuver her made him chuckle under his breath. It was like watching a bull and a lemur.

****

Jack was relaxing calmly against another booth, Hana laid out against the length of it with her head on his thigh using it as a pillow to see her handheld as she casually mashed buttons. He hadn't had much time to spend with any of them and it was nice to see that they hadn't taken his absence too hard. He didn't quite understand why the younger agents flocked to him like they did, but he did enjoy the attention even if he never showed it. Lena had snarked at him recently, calling him "Dad" playfully and he guessed that had something to do with it all. It made sense, most of the younger agents had rough childhoods or absent parents, but he wondered why they'd chosen him instead of someone far more suitable like Ana or Reinhardt or hell, even Torbjorn. He was rough around the edges and a bit volatile at times, but at least he actually had kids. Jack had never been a caretaker.

****

It seemed -as Hana shifted against him to get more comfortable- he had no say in the matter in the end. He was the team dad whether he liked it or not, though by the way he never seemed to be able to rebuff the agents, he thought perhaps he liked it more than he let himself accept.

****

He wondered what they'd think of him if they found out about Gabriel. He wasn't ready to confront that reality, he wasn't sure if he ever would be. It made him feel cowardly, but he wasn't ready to lose their trust. Not until he had a plan.

****

This base could give him that.

****

He needed information to bring back to Angela, and he wouldn't leave until he got it. He'd have to figure out a way to ditch his partner to go scavenge, but he was sure he could manage it. Though, he thought as he glanced down at Hana through his visor, someone watching his back wouldn't be a terrible idea. The mech would be unwieldy, but Hana was great at getting into things she wasn't meant to.

****

"You know, 76, you've been acting pretty strangely lately. One might think you've been hiding something from us.", Hana quipped from the bench, eyes still focused on her handheld.

****

Like his personal business for instance.

****

"I've been busy.", he answered gruffly.

****

"As one omega to another, it's surprisingly easy to tell when someone has been nesting. Especially when that someone isn't the most diligent in hiding their scents.", she put down her game, staring up at him nonchalantly.

****

He stared. "...it's the leather. I can't get it out."

****

He'd learned a long time ago to never lie to Hana Song. She knew far more than she let on, but he found that she didn't make a habit of spreading rumors. He was nervous, but remained steadfast in this battle of wills. Hana wanted to know his secrets, but he had someone he needed to protect. He could find a compromise.

****

She hummed. "So who's the lucky person? Anyone we know?"

****

He thought carefully. "Not anyone you know personally."

****

Hana sighed, abandoning the subject for now.

****

Somehow, _he_ was the one that felt guilty. He wondered not for the first time what someone like Hana could do as a figurehead. He'd not nearly had as much personal influence as her when he was Strike Commander, and he shuddered at the thought of being on the other side of her will in a diplomatic setting.

****

But perhaps that's exactly what this new world needed.

****

They sat in silence as Athena enacted landing protocols, everyone returning to their seats as the ORCA dropped altitude.

****

"Hana?", he asked quietly.

****

"Yes, 76?", she answered, a small, smug smile on her lips.

****

"There's things I need to do here that don't entirely have to do with the mission.", he started, gauging her reaction.

****

"Oh?", she answered infuriatingly even toned.

****

"...I could use some help.", he finished, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

****

Hana beamed. "Now why didn't you just say so?", she chirped.

****

He groaned, getting the sneaky suspicion that he had acted exactly as she wanted.

\-----------------------

****

The bright pink mech followed him through the wreckage of the Talon base, it's pilot far too quiet for his liking.

****

They stopped at a particular junction in the complex, him pulling out a holodisk to project a map in front of them.

****

"We need to get here.", he said, pointing at the research division. If Talon kept any information on Gabriel, it would be there.

****

"I thought you said this didn't have anything to do with the mission?", Hana complained. She'd been hoping for something a little more adventurous when breaking the rules with the ex-Strike Commander.

****

"It's a personal mission, but it could help us all if we get the information I need.", he answered, stowing away his holodisk and moving down the corridor.

****

A fully healed and capable Gabriel Reyes fighting on their side would be more than enough to give them the edge they needed against Talon. Especially given all the inside information trapped in his head behind all the conditioning these bastards put him through. They could clear their names and return to their mission of actually saving people. If New Overwatch didn't approve...well then he guessed it was a good thing that Gabriel and he still had secret safehouses throughout the world they could operate from.

****

"Why do you need me then?" Hana questioned over his shoulder.

****

"I need someone to watch my back. I'm not sure what I'll find.", he answered.

****

"Like that?", Hana quipped drawing his attention ahead once more.

****

They found themselves blocked by a pair of blast doors, he crouched to examine the entrypad, but without power, he would be unable to open them. He stood back, slapping the hull of the MEKA a few times.

****

"Knock 'em down."

****

A series of blasts hit his ears as a volley of rockets left the MEKA and collided with the doors. They didn't stand a chance. Hana whistled.

****

"You know, if Torbjorn has any more ideas like this, don't even ask me for permission. Just hand my MEKA over and let him at it. That was awesome."

****

He made his way through the rubble of the hallway, glancing back through to the pink tank. "I don't think she'll fit through here. You might need to leave it behind.", he called out to the pilot.

****

Hana groaned, but climbed out of the mech quickly. "If anything happens to us because we don't have it, I personally blame you, 76."

Jack laughed, moving down the hallway towards the research bay, the sound covering up the very real knot in his guts that formed as they approached their objective. He shifted anxiously, focusing on the mission instead of his paranoia.

\---------------------

****

Gabriel moved about the Blackwatch wing nervously. He had been jogging through the corridors for a good hour, but the pit in his stomach remained. Part pheromone withdrawal from the absence of his mate, part honest worry over what Jack was out doing at the moment. His omega was in enemy territory and he wasn't there to protect him. Anything could happen and he'd be stuck here like a caged animal. He couldn't even keep in contact, the risk of discovery too much.

****

His morning treatment had left him feeling energized, but it almost made things worse. He was stronger, healthier, but he still wasn't welcome on the field with his mate. It was times like these that he wished he had someone to talk to, but with that _thing_ in his head, he wouldn't be able to approach them as Gabriel Reyes- only as Reaper. Would they want him anyway or would they just cast him out- or worse?

****

He stopped, an insistent beeping grabbing his attention. He moved quietly through the hallways, stopping outside of a closet. Opening it, he squinted inside, a light flicking on overhead. Thrown haphazardly over a few boxes was his old, tattered coat. Hesitantly, he reached out, finding the rest of his armor shoved underneath it. This must be where Jack hid his things, the omega had been uncomfortable with having it in their den. Gabriel hadn't had any reason to stop him from getting rid of it.

****

The obnoxious beeping was coming from the pile of kevlar and he desperately searched for the source, now knowing what it was.

****

He pulled a small device out of his coat pocket, a communicator. He hesitated for a moment before pressing a button on the side, a fuzzy image springing to life- a small white skull the size of his fist.

****

"Jefe! There you are! Dios, I've been trying to reach you for weeks, we thought you were dead!...er _more_ dead.", the blurry image shouted at him, and Gabriel sucked in a breath.

****

Sombra.

****

"You look well for someone who _blew up a base while still inside it."_ , she chastised him.

****

He stared for a moment, replying hesitantly, " _You know it was me_?"

****

"You're not the most subtle of people, Gabrielito."

****

He ground his teeth, not liking the ease at which the beta scolded him. It meant she knew more than he wanted her to.

****

"I'm not here to tattle on you, Jefe. You know as well as I do that we both want the same things in life; stopping the next Omnic Crisis, unmasking of those pulling the strings, and maybe enough time to take a mate. How is yours, by the way? Because I'm seeing him here putting his nose where a lot of people don't want it.", she spoke with a deceptively casual tone.

****

He froze, a growl crawling up his throat. " _What do you mean, you_ see _him, Sombra_?"

****

"He just blew up a hallway with the help of his punky sidekick and her pick mech, it was rather amusing. Too bad I'm not the only one that saw it."

****

He nearly crushed the communicator in his hand. Talon knew about Jack. They knew where he was. They knew Overwatch was in their base. _And he was stuck here unable to do anything about it._

****

" _Why are you telling me this?"_ , he demanded. Sombra always had a motive. 

 

"Would you believe me if I told you I don't want to see your mate make a Jason Polick impression all over Talon's walls?"

 

 _"No."_ , he growled out.

****

"Damn, well let's just say you owe me and we leave it at that?", she chirped over the line."Being friends with the two people who have the best chance at uncovering the information I need seems like a good trade for my help."

 

"Plus, she continued quietly,I'm always a sucker for a good romance drama. You two are far better than the shit I see on TV."

****

Gabriel growled, unamused. Jack was in danger, this was no time for playing Sombra's game.

****

"Calm down big guy, Talon isn't ready to move yet. There's still time for you to make it if you hurry."

****

" _If I do that then Talon and Overwatch knows I'm alive."_

 

"They want to take him, Gabe. They want someone to fill your place and he's their most viable candidate. They have a plan, but I don't know everything. They've been setting this up since you blew the base, just waiting for him to show."

****

Gabriel stared at his old costume piled up in the closet, the torn material and dented metal a reminder of what he'd been through. There was no debate.

****

" _Can you keep them distracted until I get there?"_ , he asked solemnly.

****

"...I think so. But you need to hurry."

****

He nodded and turned off the communicator, grabbing at his armor and assembling it hastily.

****

" _Commander Reyes, what are you doing?'_ , Athena demanded suddenly, startling him.

****

Shit. He'd communicated with Talon. He'd be dead before he even left base.

****

And Jack would die too, but not before Talon was done with him.

 

" _Jack'_ _s in trouble. I need to go.'_ , he attempted to convince her, expecting the alarms to sound at any moment.

****

Silence. He clipped on his belts, reaching for his boots.

 

_"There is a DART waiting for you in landing bay gamma. I'll cover your travel to it, but I can't hide you from cameras or windows once you depart from the dock."_

****

He stumbled, dropping his gauntlet and looking up at the corridor where the AI spoke from. She would help him?

****

" _T-thank you, Athena.",_ he stuttered out.

 

 _"Of course, Commander."_ , she answered before silence once more filled the room.

****

Rushing, he snapped on his remaining gear, following the directions Athena gave him as he misted down the corridors to the landing bay. The DART jet was waiting for him on the tarmac, engines running and doors down. Sleek and faster than their usual dropships, he might be able to make it to Jack before Talon took him.

****

He heard vague yelling as he bolted up the loading door, turning back to see Winston rushing out of the hallway.

****

He had no time to waste. He slammed the door closed, crawling into the cockpit and punching in his destination, barely having enough time to strap himself in before the DART jumped forward.

****

His heart raced as he prayed he could get to Jack before Talon did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sombra, Sombra, Sombra, you don't get to treat the boys like your personal telenovela you know...
> 
> Also Athena is the real hero here.


End file.
